Life is like a Boat
by Guntz
Summary: 19-year-old Reuben, a young fisherman about to leave home, takes one last job to help his harbor town. Then a great storm at sea whisks him away and into a strange world where strong pirates rule the vast blue ocean, and the only person he can depend on for help is a boy in a straw hat... Not the normal OC falls into OP fic! :D
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Okay, I wanted to rewrite this because it really needed to be go over with and make getting to One Piece a lot faster. The first chapter introduces the character and what kind of situation they are in and the second chapter gets to the action and then to the point where the main character gets sucked somehow into the OP world where everything is beyond the law of gravitation or physics... Something like that anyway. I don't mind any_ "Girls falling in One Piece"_ fanfics, I enjoy them but there are most that are too... Mary Sue-ish. Everyone hates a Mary Sue! And there are rarely some that have GUYS beings the ones who fall into One Piece, but most don't turn out too well and they end up becoming GARY STU'S! I really have yet to find a good Original Male Character leading a One Piece fanfic. So I'll be the one to try and make a decent story with a good pace and not turn them into ubber strong, smart, superhero kind of guys. They first have to get through learning and growing with other characters before they get to the point they think they can take on the world with their own bare hands. I hope you like this, please remember to read and review!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Prologue**

**—**

_People say a lot about life._

_It's good. It's bad. A lot can be said about it._

_I was still young, didn't understand much of what life meant and I could only turn to the only source who I've always thought was the closest to having the answers to everything besides my mama and dad._

_"You're too young to be asking those sorts of questions," my uncle laughs, ruffling my dark head as we sit patiently in the small rowboat, hoping to catch some fish to bring back home to first show it off with dad and let mama cook it._

_"C'mon, you gotta answer it!" I whine to him, clinging onto his hand, urging him to answer._

_I wait, noticing now that he was in deep thought. I couldn't see his eyes, shadowed by that "special" hat of his but I knew from how long the silence stretched on that he was in deep thought about my question... That, or he was planning on how to avoid the question cunningly to make me forget all about. I may be nine years old, but c'mon, I'm not stupid enough to fall for those kinds of tricks!_

_"Well," he speaks up after a while, rubbing his freshly shaved chin. "A lot of people have to say things about life..._

_"It's good because they never had doubts and trouble when they grew in this world, just practically lucky and living the high life. It's bad because people went through tough times and troubles growing up, the harsh reality of tragedy always putting us down. But there is always the thing about living that makes life not perfect and not a total disaster but... just right."_

_"Hm?"_

_My uncle looks at the sea with a calm tranquility, like the rocking of our boat was akin to a baby in a crib slowly falling back in the depth of blissful slumber. I've always liked watching him, I am always at ease when I'm around him and other people would agree, there was just something about his laid-back presence that put ease in people's hearts and minds. He places an arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him to rest my head against his side. He smells of the cool sea at winter time, it sounds ridiculous considering we live a harbor town which always smells of ocean but his scent is always that cool ocean cologne and I wouldn't have it any other way. I loved and relished that smell._

_"A lot of people have to say things about life," he repeats calmly, like the gentle waves pushing the boat._

_I look back up to him, creaking my neck to follow his movement and find myself being stared back and I search for his eyes that are always shadowed from beneath his dark hair and hat. His mouth opens, finally giving his own answer._

_"I think—"_

* * *

><p>"Reuben, I swear to <em>GOD<em>! If you don't get your lazy ass up from that bunk, I will have you thrown off my goddamn boat!"

Captain Godzilla was wreaking havoc on the innocent once again.

Letting my groggy eyes open from the false sense of security of sleep, I lift myself from my comfy bunk and spy my plaid shirt hanging on the side, along with my blue jeans lost in the covers and quilts of my bed. I did a quick job of dressing up when the sounds of big feet stomping to the men quarters. In the middle of pulling on my boots, the door slams open and in comes a burly man in his mid 50's, not having shaved a whole week since leaving port.

Clant Hansley, captain of the marlin fishing boat; _The_ _Monte Blanc_.

"Jesus, you move like a girl! Get yer ass moving, Rubes!" he orders before slamming the door shut.

It's been a month since I graduated high school, a month since my mama announced she was pregnant, and month since I turned 19. You can pretty much tell there is a lot happening in a single month, but I suppose I can't complain about things like that. I got a job to do after all before I become a college boy with all the money I'm saving up for the trip to take to Virginia Tech in the pursuit of becoming an engineer.

Pulling on the dark yellow rain wear since today is just a drizzle, I pull my yellow sou'wester on my head and move out to the deck of the commercial fishing boat. Giving some grunt greetings to my fellow crew mates, I get to work in pulling in more bait for the long line in hopes of catching and hauling in the big marlins for some of the crew to work over on sawing off their sharp noses, putting them down under to the ice box storage to fill 'em up with ice and repeat the whole cycle.

"Jesse!" I call a busy blond bearded man putting on the hooks for the long line.

"Bring it 'ere." he orders, pulling one heavy bucket off me to the table and getting to work on putting the bait on the hooks for the marlin to catch a whiff of and hopefully only that.

We did not need another shark incident like three days ago that ended up having one of our crew mates having a limp for every step he took. We were also lucky the shark's teeth didn't rip through the fabric and leather to the man's flesh or else we wouldn't still be fishing since it is a well known fact that if the shark didn't kill you, the germs and bacteria in its teeth would.

"You ready to head home, Rubes?" Joshua, a beanie-wearing crew mate comes by, his arms full of bringing out the equipment in cutting up a marlin to fit in the freezer.

"You bet!" I grin at him and Jesse, excited to see my family after so long.

The funny thing about being always away at sea fishing up food for the small harbor town is that it feels like you're years away from home and when you make it back in one piece people are waiting at the docks with smiles and open arms. I remember what it was like, being one of those people that eagerly waited to see the person who had gone seemingly forever ago.

I also knew what it was like to be one of the people that didn't have the person they were waiting for come back home ever again...

"How's yer mom by the way? I heard she's got a bun in the oven." Joshua begins small talk, looking over his shoulder at me. "That's true, right?"

"Did Allerdyce tell ya that?" Jesse nods to the well-known bastard of the ship, always gotta make stuff up to see some reaction for his own entertainment. You can never take the guy seriously sometimes, no one can tell if he was lying or telling the truth, it's what made the man unpredictable and harder to read.

"Cooper." Josh corrects.

"Yeah, I'm gonna be an older brother." I nod in confirmation, slowly grinning my pearly whites when Josh pauses and offers a two thumbs-up.

"Just remember to buy earplugs, those little suckers got a set of lungs on 'em like you wouldn't believe!" Phil passes by us, poking at his ear with a single digit.

"How do you know that Phil?" someone says, making everyone else listening in laugh out loud, after all, Phil is a single man with a horrible reputation of trying to talk to a woman, much less trying to get in their pants for that matter.

"My little sister, she screamed always during the night and..."

_Monte Blanc_, the commercial ship full of men and some women that had nothing better to do (other than catch marlin) and came up with random subjects for people to get to talk about or whatever. The only time there was excitement was when some huge wave came coming in ramming the ship's side and having close calls of someone getting washed off the ship and into the rocky seas or when someone had their leg nearly bitten off by a shark.

Hours and hours of the work on the commercial shop gone by, the catching of at least 15 marlins successfully. Tomorrow we'd head back and home with the hauling the catches of at least over 60 marlins. Not nearly enough of what is usually caught within the week of fishing. And that grim look on Hansley face said it all that this just wasn't enough for the warehouse at the port waiting on its deliverance of the marlin meat.

The next two days went by slowly as the _Monte Blanc_ headed home for Dulesday Beach, Virginia (fictional, not real) and deliver in on the catch. Many of the guys had plans once setting foot on land like hanging out with their friends at Chiles, buying tickets for a Superbowl coming up soon, taking their kids to spend quality time in playing games or teaching them what it is they want to learn about that they couldn't completely understand that only adults excusively knew.

"Pack up! We're coming to port in an hour!" Hansley calls from the intercom above deck behind the helm.

"Yeah, yeah..." I mutter, grabbing all my clothes and small belongings that represented home when off land and away from the parents waiting for my return. "Don't have a cow."

"You got plans?" Allerdyce comes up, having a bunk above me—which is unfortunate, the man snores could be easily mistaken as the roar of an angry elephant seal having an unwelcome wake-up call.

"I guess I do." I curtly reply, not wanting to get into a conversation with this guy.

"I got plans. Go home, get some tickets I pre-ordered, drive all the way to New Jersey to watch the Eagles VS 49ers, and get me some ass—"

"As much interesting as it is to talk about getting a beer gut and trying to score some ladies I gotta finish up packing otherwise this conversation will end with our fists swinging and teeth flying." I offer a grim smile at him. "Goodbye Al."

"You'll be kissing my ass for these tickets, Rubes~!" Allerdyce shouts at my retreating back but I ignore him. Those tickets he probably got his hands on our most likely fake and I wasn't to get in trouble and have my ass end up in jail.

Duffel bag over my shoulders, I climb up the stairs to reach the deck and find everyone gathered with their own bags, eager to get off this boat and greet friends and family alike. I nod to the other guys, shaking hands with some that were taking off immediately to visit families far west or south. Other passing boats and ships honked in greeting, everyone on deck waving and shouting their welcoming.

"We're reaching port! Be ready to dock!" Hansley orders.

People waiting at the port to catch ropes that the guys on deck will throw and finally park the Monte Blanc and bring about the walking board. I stay behind, helping some of the guys get on the walking board and head down the dock where people began gathering to hug and kiss the people they've been waiting for. I smile to myself, my friends and crew mates getting attention to themselves like heroes.

"Reuben! Oh, Reuben!"

Arms found their way around my waist and I turn in time to be met with a big fat kiss on the cheek by my own worrisome and moody and pregnant mother.

"Hi, mama." I chuckle, pulling her closely. "Nice to see you, too."

"Oh, I was so worried! I heard what happened to Mr. Turnbull, with the shark getting on board and—Oh, honey, I was so worried...!" I wince when I hear her sniffle, her light caramel eyes getting glassy from her imagination going wild. The fact that her pregnancy

"Mama, c'mon mama don't cry," I point to Jeb Turnbull, poor guy getting escorted to the nearest clinic by his brother and sister-in-law. "Look, look. He's alright! He just got off lucky. We ALL got off lucky that the teeth didn't get through."

Still she cries, head buried into my chest. I finally notice someone standing beside us and I can't help but smile to see dad standing there like a statue, looking all awkward and out of place. I offer my hand and he all takes it and shakes it briefly before pulling his hands back in his pocket.

"How ya doin' Rubes?" he grins at me behind that thick black bush of a beard of his.

"Feel like a million bucks,"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Shipwreck Den }-¤-¤-¤-**

"Way to go, first in the family to go to college," dad blabbers into his beer, constantly glancing at me and his eyes getting hazy from having a few too many beers.

"Its okay dad, I get it." I nod, sipping on my own.

Me and dad escaped to the town's local small bar, most of the stuff was strong and barely anything watered down for younger people like me to handle but years back someone had said something along the line of; _"If he can't take a strong drink, he sure as hell don't gots the balls to take on a STRONG ocean!"_ and people learned not to whine when gulping down their hard beverages. I nearly choke in my own drink when some other occupants of the bar squeezed on by between me and the full crowd of the pub.

"Take it slow, son!" dad orders, slapping my back a few times. "We got all the time in the worl' to drink this up!"

"Yeah...!" I heave one last cough and let my lungs settle down in easy breathing before returning to my drinking.

"I'm really happy fer ya, Rubes," I still to hear dad's voice sobering up a tiny bit. "I'm happy to have my own flesh 'n blood going farther than any of us..."

I turn to dad and give him my best thanks. "It means a lot to me that you an' mama see me off."

Dad nods his head, eyes drifting down to the counter and I know from the look in his dark dazed eyes that he's thinking about someone; thinking about _him_. How do I know? Because I'm also thinking about the one person I so badly wished numerous times would see me off to find my own gain in the future.

The Den is loud and rowdy tonight but no one really paid mind about that. The townsfolk could not blame the men and women who went off at sea at the risk of their own lives to bring back their catch, everyone was doing their best at heart for this small harbor town. It didn't matter anymore, I smirk to myself and look around the bar to catch a lot of familiar faces celebrating their homecoming, I and the _Monte Blanc_ crew are home and living it loud and proud.

"Are you fucking serious?" a booming voice from the front of the bar's entrance drowned out the sound of a crowded area.

Dad was the first to get out of his stool, looking up over the heads of numerous people that slowly quieted down from the ruckus ahead of them. I followed him and zeroed my eyes on the cause and I nearly bite my tongue as my teeth grind tightly to see an unwelcome man; Creedy "The Greedy" Campton, the man holding all the money for every sailor from all 9 commercial ships that went out a brought up what they caught in the nets and lines.

Edmund Bucannon, Helen Tiffin, Markus Thane, and Clant Hansley are standing and facing Creedy with hard eyes, lips formed in very grim lines that made other sailors uneasy of what was going on with their four top captains in this small beach town. Ol' Creedy let out a huff and took a drink out of his own glass of whiskey, taking a moment for the liquid to go down before facing the captains of their own individual ships; _Monte Blanc, Black Barron, DeLuise, _and_ Pale Rider_.

"Yeah, I am serious. Your catches ain't making a dent of the usual pay." Creedy pulls out some paper from his coat, opening it to shove it in Markus' face. "You see this? This is a show of rate of how less you asshats are bringing back to these docks! Are you even TRYING?"

It was fast but predictable. Markus, a man known for his temper and giving trouble to authority, lunged to attack Creedy and the ball cap wearing bastard backs away from the range while the captains and some sailors jumped in to stop the captain's reckless act. Although, a lot of people wanted to punch that smug prick's lights out for looking down on everyone while he was tucked away safe on land and counting the money. But Creedy was right...

Everyone couldn't catch as much as they used to. Like all the catches we hunted for were disappearing or simply getting smaller at the population of certain parts of the usual fishing areas.

"So what would you have us do? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE US DO, NOW!" came the demand.

"Go back and catch some more."

Shock and uneasiness fill the whole bar. Everyone had worked hard, everyone... it just ain't enough though. I feel dad rest his hand on my shoulder, pulling me along to exit the bar and back home, and it looked like everyone is doing the same since the good beer just left everything bitter now.

Later on in the night, the news came through from the town's local radio broadcasting station that Clant Hansley volunteered to be the captain to go out again and bring back the amount of marlins that would appease to Creedy. No doubt, some brave souls were going on to volunteer on sailing and hauling their ass for the many catches. The deadline for the ship and the crew to be sailing was two days away.

"Rubes," I blink out of my deep thinking, looking to see dad standing at the kitchen. "What are you still doing up? Go to bed!"

"Sorry," I mutter, getting up from the armchair next to the panel window that showed a good view of the ocean. " 'night dad."

"Reuben," I stop at mid step to climb the stairs up my room.

"Yeah?"

"It's gonna be okay, son." dad says quietly. "You don't have to keep trying anymore. You've done enough for everyone."

"... I know."

"You're gonna be okay, now."

I walk up the stairs, pausing in front of a white door. I push the door open gently so it wouldn't creak and bother mom, sleeping away in the next room so that way she would be closer to this room. A room with a rocking cradle, dim night lights, cute animal posters, stuffed animals, baby clothes...

No, I bite my lips, things are not okay right now.


	2. In Shallow Seas, We Sail!

**A/N:** Okay, first chapter out and now to the part where things get interesting. I have to warn you that most parts of this fic are based off the movie; "The Perfect Storm". I really don't know much about fishing and fisherman, so I'm doing the best of what I read up on some wikipedia pages, sorry if this really sucks but I'm really excited I wanted to get this done. Please remember to read and review this stuff, I love One Piece, all the volumes (on manga reader) that I plan on going over it again. The first time to read it was to see what was going on and get a better idea what some stuff that confused that hell out of me cleared up, and the next reading is to know what happens next and what I could do to make the story interesting, and the last is to follow up on the dialogue and character interaction. Okay, I have a lot to do, hope you guys like this!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 1 - In Shallow Seas, We Sail!**

**—**

"... Cpt. Clant Hansley, Jesse Sharden, Joshua Vasquez, Pamela Gunner, Gunther Macey, Amelia Hutton, Vincent Burnseid, Franky Morris, Zack Decker, Luis Moore, and Shelby Richardson are reporting at the docks by 6:35 tomorrow morning in the volunteering..."

Mama lowers the volume of the radio to the point I can't understand much of the host on the broadcast is saying and turns back to cutting the veggies to pieces for her to put into her soup she wanted to cook for us. Dad looked up from over his newspaper and I look back at the table, picking around at the fruit bowl in the middle so I won't look my dad in the eye and let the man know what's going on... but being the person who raised me my whole life, he most definitely knew what was going on my head. He just won't say anything, and I'm glad.

"Supper's ready," mama says and I get up from the table to help her, my hands itching to do something. Anything.

I fill in the scalding hot soup into the three white bowls mama provides from the cabinet where the plates and dishes are stored and goes to bring out two glasses for her and myself since dad was okay with his own beer. I put a bowl on each of our respective seats, taking time to grab three spoons and finally sit down to join my family.

Dinner is quiet (with the exception of mama being in the mood of chattering her mouth away) and I still don't look at dad or mama, like I was being guilty of something. I eat the soup silently, listening mom about what she wanted to the name the baby if it was a boy or a girl from a book she bought at the store.

"If it's a girl it could be Evangeline, Amy, Trisha, oh and Maggie," mama goes on, gushing how cute the name would be on the mysterious baby. "If it's a boy, we call him Richard, Ralph, Raymond, or we can even name the baby after Ro—"

A spoon clattered noisily again a porcelain bowl.

I look down at my bowl that was mostly empty, without a word or excuse I stand and leave the kitchen, ignoring mama's voice calling after me in concern. From the corner of my eye I can see dad leaning back against his chair, looking down at his bowl in silence and not bothering to stop me or console mama. Taking a coat off the coat rack and stepping out of the house I keep walking, feeling numbness claim over my head and slowly down my body, just letting my feet take me anywhere but at the house where his name is a taboo.

An hour later I realize I'm standing in front of the office near the port, the place where Hansley and everyone else signed up to volunteer and go out at see and catch more fish for the town.

"Reuben," someone calls me from my left, I flinch from surprise and turn to see Elden Kontch, an older former fisherman sailor. "What're you doin' 'ere son? Thought you was goin' to college an' all..."

"I won't leave until tomorrow. A friend is waiting for me at Blacksburg to take me until the semester comes around for me to apply."

Kontch nods, shuffling over with his cane, I politely step aside and watch him fiddle around with his keys of the office and gestures me to follow him inside the crowded yet comfy office.

"You kids are gettin' smarter and smarter these days." Kontch speaks up, sitting down in his chair to open one of the drawers and I can't help but chuckle as he pulls out a brand of John Adams. "Lookin' baby-faced an' all and growin' up so fast, Jesus Christ!"

"Yeah, I know." I really do. All my friends getting their own apartments to live on their from their parents and get out of the town to reach for something that's not here. A lot of other opportunities and jobs somewhere out of the Dulesday Beach. "We gotta go and make a living, sir."

"So..." Kontch looks at me as he pours himself a drink. "Whatcha doin' standing outside my office, Reuben?"

I shrug. "... Dunno."

Kontch gives me this long look, his wrinkled face taking no shrug or mumbling grunt for an answer. I bite my bottom lip, stare down at my shoes from where I am standing. I think about the town's troubled faces from Creedy's words about not enough marlins being caught. Not enough for this town to survive on because time is changing and the sea seemed to be less nurturing to the fisherman.

"I really don't know what to do, sir." I whisper, shaking my head. "I don't know what to do."

"A lot of people feel responsible for this town, son, you ain't the only one." Kontch gets up from his seat, walking around the table. "You don't have to keep trying for everyone, you've done enough..."

I can hear both Kontch and dad saying the same thing like they're in the same room.

"Well maybe it ain't good enough!" I snap loudly, glaring at the older man. "Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough!"

"Reuben! Don't you dare go there...!" Kontch's bellowing voice drowns out my snapping tone. "Don't you dare throw yourself at the sea like _he_ did!"

Don't you dare throw yourself like _he_ did.

...throw yourself like _he_ did.

...like _**he**_ did.

Again, the numbness takes over me. I flop down the nearest visible chair, breathing harshly through my nose but it only worsens when I feel my eyes begin to water at the flood of my horrible and painful memories that still could not and would not go away even as time went by. Like it was an inescapable disease that tore through me just when I think I felt better. A pain shared between me and dad and very few other people that were there when it had happened. I feel hands on my shoulders, giving me a gentle shake until I calmly draw the tears away with the back of my hand and giving a deep breath.

I look out to the window, watching the ships sway from the rocking of the ocean current. I hear Kontch calling me but I still don't feel like responding. Dammit, why the hell is everyone to stop when it feels like I still haven't finished? Why? Do they think because I won't be able to handle it? The thought made my blood boil, I just wanted to go to Shipwreck Den and start throwing punches just to get out the steam... to bad it was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and the bar doesn't fill up until around 8.

_'Only one way to release all my frustrations,'_ I look back up to the older man with a stony expression.

"Where can I sign up?"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Audrey's Diner }-¤-¤-¤-**

"What'll you be havin', sugar?"

"Bacon cheeseburger with everything but the onions, pickles, and ketchup please."

"Would you like yer fries seasoned—"

"Seasoned."

"To drink?"

"Lemonade."

"I'll get you're up and ready."

"Thanks."

Here I am after an hour of arguing with Kontch before I finally brought up that I am an adult and I could do whatever the fuck I want and I wanted to fucking sign up in joining Capt. Hansley and his crew to bag us some fucking fish! End of story. The old bastard consented... but not without giving my parents a call at what I am doing, I high-tailed it outta the office, not really in the mood to face a big burly pissed-as-hell father.

Making dad have to chase me all over town is just really asking for it. But I'll survive.

_"You don't have to keep trying anymore. You've done enough for everyone."_

_"You don't have to keep trying for everyone, you've done enough..."_

They always say that, but I sometimes think it ain't right to leave something that isn't even finished, as the saying goes;_ 'Don't leave things undone until you finish the job'_ and I liked to stick to that philosophy, thank you very much. This town needed all the help it can get and I happen to be willing to participate. However, my family and some folks don't believe my ideals. Whatever, I have my say in this, I'm not a little kid anymore that used to be babied and pampered in early childhood, usually people are suppose to be encouraging kids to do things on their own and work hard for it.

I guess it's because I'm the sort of case that should be careful in pushing things a little too far than necessary.

"Figures," I hear someone speak from beside the booth table. "You start gettin' nervous you find someplace to eat to calm yer nerves."

Hansley sits down on the other side of the table looking at the menu offered by a waitress but soon puts it down after a brief order of black coffee. I sipped at the lemonade the waitress left, keeping my eyes off Hansley. If there was another person besides my parents and Kontch getting after me for doing things, Hansley was the guy.

"You gonna give me a bitchin' to me, too? Sorry, you'll have to get in line..." I began but Hansley's gruff voice cut me off.

"Watch your tone with me, boy." he warns me with those cold hard eyes of his. "You can be a sarcastic crazy brat but I know you got a lick o' sense not to try and piss me off."

I sipped more from the drink.

"Your daddy is outside, I just barely convinced him not to cause a scene," Hansley looks outside the window and I follow his vision to find that indeed my dad is outside, standing near his truck with an ugly look on his face that is pointed at me. I let out a sigh and turn to my table, giving a small shake of my head. "What are you doing, Reuben?"

"I'm plotting a way to evade dad without giving away my position."

"No. What are you doing?"

I finally looked at him, my eyes pleading not to say the same thing like everyone else. Hansley is still waiting for answer, fingers tapping impatiently on the table, ignoring the waitress as she serves him his awaited coffee. He isn't even bothering to drink out of the damn mug he ordered.

"I just want to do one last thing before I go." I tell him. "It's just... I grew up in this town, just like everyone else here. What kind of person goes and turns their back on this town when it needs help?"

"You—"

"It's just one. Last. Job." I grit out through my teeth, glaring at him because I did not to hear any words other than agreement coming out of his mouth. "Just this once. After that, I'm gone!"

He throws me a critical eye, but I remain determined for this one last job I just needed to do before I went out out of this town for good. Hansley knew my family for a long time, and he knew very well how stubborn our family could be when we got our steam engines running hard for something we wanted. Letting out a deep sigh, Hansley looked away and I knew I won this argument.

"Well, better get yer daddy to calm down." he said, sipping from his coffee whilst the waitress sets down my order.

I froze in mid-bite, cringing at the upcoming brawl and the mother of all lectures. "Awesome."

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Dulesday Beach Harbor }-¤-¤-¤-**

After a long night of arguing back and forth and some crying (partly from mom's side) dad finally gave in since he knew there wasn't really much of what he could do to stop me. But it didn't stop him from being in a pissy mood the whole time. I was in the receiving end of his cold shoulders, his verbal abuse, and his soury behavior. But I knew he's hurting in there, so I don't take his actions to heart. Poor mama looked stressed, trying to convince me to go on that ride to take me away but I refused, not wanting to go until this last job is done.

"Some weather..." Joshua mutters next to me on the bench some of us are huddled up on.

A chill shivers down my spine from a cold gust brushing against my naked face and neck, I tilt my head back to see the skies cloudy and gray, not an ounce of blue to be found. The waves we all could hear sound restless, brushing up on the beaches higher and the wooden docks beneath our feet groaning as if complaining about the unsettling sea water. And the air, I swallow nervously, felt thick and heavy on me like a sudden weight adding more onto my bag and clothes.

There was something about today that was both foreign and familiar, and it set me on edge than I already am.

"Okay boys, up an' at 'em!" someone shouted and all at once everyone stood to their feet, the space crowded until it slowly dispersed and left some behind.

I stand up to follow but pause from the feeling of being watched, I have no doubt that my dad is watching me right now.

I really didn't want to up and leave with these harsh feelings going on between us, otherwise it would build up on the days at sea and drive me insane to the point I needed a journal (not a DIARY!) to write down my problems. Quickly deciding on what I needed to do, I walked briskly to the truck dad is sitting inside with his hands holding onto the steering wheel so tightly I can make out the draining color on his knuckles. I leaned on the open window of the truck's door, staring at my dad long enough for him to look at me.

"What?" he gruffly demanded, still not bothering to face me but instead at the road ahead of him.

"I mean it dad," I tell him with confidence. "I'll come back and go straight to Blacksburg. I give you my word."

"I'd feel a lot better if you just already gone and went, dammit!" he snaps, looking at me with his hard dark eyes. "Joel is coming in a few hours! Stop being thick-headed and get in the truck. _NOW_!"

I can't help but let out a sigh and roll my eyes at him. It was just ONE tour at sea for at least a week to gather all the marlins and haul 'em back to the warehouse to the heavy amount that would satisfy Creedy. A large hand grips on my jacket-covered arm, causing me to lose concentration on my thoughts and back to the reality of dad gripping me like he would never let go, no matter how hard I tried to pull away. And he'd do it, too. I meet his eyes again, my own narrowed and my body willing to fight if necessary. Old chapped lips pursed together tightly and a wrinkle face slowly lost the protective fury, cold eyes warmed at the depth of feeling in between father and son.

"Don't do this. The air right now just don't feel right."

A lot of people, including myself, viewed dad as a strong and respectable man with a hard wall built surrounding him to make him seem untouchable when things went ugly or he got caught in the heat of the moment.

"Just get inside the truck... and come back home with me."

But there were times when the walls would crumble if someone chose the right weak spots to utilize. To many, it was an effort that was nearly impossible to accomplish, but to the few that knew, they struck with no mercy.

"Stop trying so hard!"

And inside that high wall is a vulnerable man that had lived a long life between good and bad that shaped him as a man he is today, whether he liked it or not.

"Goodbye, dad,"

I slipped away from his slackened grip, turning around and hurrying to board onto the _Monte Blanc_, not once looking back at my dad... otherwise I wouldn't be able to get on the ship when I'm frozen on my feet to see the face of a broken-hearted man that felt abandoned for every step I took farther away from him.

_**[...I'm sorry I didn't look back...]**_

* * *

><p>The first day of the trip was a disaster, no luck but a few catches of some random fishes but no marlin to be caught on the lines. The next day there was a debate if Hansley should go further out of the <em>Monte Blanc's<em> usual territory, taking us further out to sea. The sky remained dark and cloudy, the heavy feeling on my body still there even after I carry no weight on me.

I can agree with one thing with dad's words, there is something just not right about the air that unsettled me so.

We only had little success on catching the marlins, but only one every few hours later and it was putting a damper in everyone's mood. There was an occasional fight breaking out from the frustration, I felt so useless and angry I really wanted to start throwing fists myself but refrained. The weather was just making things worse, a total downpour that made work dangerous, two of the crew mates ended up having to stay in their bunks due to injury like slipping and almost getting a concussion and another from a nasty twisted ankle.

It was until the fifth day out at sea that luck changed for us all. Line after line after line, we hauled in the giant marlins and tucked them down in the freezer down below deck. We laughed and cheered from catching more and more of the big fish than usual and all the anger and doubt we felt inside us all slipped away, turning it into nothing but hope and joy that we got to show off when we return to Dulesday Beach.

But that lucky stream we depended on so much came to an an abrupt halt one drizzling morning; the freezing machine jammed. The threat of the marlins going spoiled instilled much worry but thankfully it was near the time we had to get back home. All lines pulled in and nets tucked in, the _Monte Blanc_ and her crew headed for our little beloved harbor town.

It continued to remain with me. The heavy and God-fearing feeling that told me things were wrong, wrong, _WRONG_.

The rain fell down harshly on us, the clouds from heavenward looked darker until they all dimmed the world to the point it would seem like night had fallen. The waves became unsettled and violent, tossing the Monte Blanc around like she was nothing but a tiny rubber ducky in a giant wide bathtub and the things and people inside were rocking back and forth but no balance could be found.

I've never been so scared.

"Shield the windows!" Pamela shouts over the high volume of the storm. "They'll break from all this wind pressure!"

The guys went to work on bringing out the wood from below and got to work on enforcing the windows, but the damn wind is making things difficult.

"_WHOA_!" I duck just in time to avoid being slammed by one of the thin wooden boards that came flying out of Franky and Zack's grip. "H-HEY!"

"Reuben! Go down below and bring some more! On the double!" commanded Gunther as he, Vincent, and Jesse are hammering down one board successfully to the window.

"Got it!" I shout, heading back below to bring out some more.

I hurry down the stairs and nearly tripping on my own feet, give a quick greeting to Shelby and Luis, both of them anxious to get up from the bed and do something but Hansley demanded they stay down or else they'd be in the way and just cause more trouble in their current condition.

"Don't worry about this," I pant a little from the running around and doing what I'm told. "This'll be over before ya know it. Just sit tight!"

I go up and I'm greeted by a random wave spilling over the deck. I spit out the disgusting sea water I accidently let slip past my mouth. Pushing my sou'wester hat on firmly I hold onto the boards tightly, making my way on the upper deck to deliver these much needed window enforcers. The rain combined with the wind is something of an experience a lot of people can compare it to a thousand of bees stinging your face and eyes non-stop, I can guess this is gonna leave my face red at the end of the day.

"... go back!"

"Too late... can't!"

I pause, eyes blinking out the water and ears perking at the sound of someone shouting somewhere in the wheelhouse, I hurry up on the steps to see what the commotion is all about since it seems to catch more other shouting voices. Although, as I step inside the wheelhouse where everyone is, I wish I hadn't came in at all.

"We're trapped in the middle of a fucking hurricane!" cried Amelia, her arms waving wildly in the air and her hair wet and droopy.

"What?" I gape. "We're WHAT?"

Some didn't bother to look at me, just continued to stare at Hansley and hoping—praying—that this wasn't really happening. Hansley continued to stare at the raving ocean ahead of the _Monte Blanc_, his large back turned to everyone.

"We're in the middle of two hurricanes,"

I thought I lost the simple mechanics of how to breathe there for a moment.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Hansley!" Jesse shook his head. "What the hell were you thinking!"

"I was thinkin' since one was coming at us from behind, we'd make it back home first... I just didn't figure there was one coming on the other side."

Oh fuck... Over on the side where there's a paper printing fax there is a diagram showing two hurricanes coming together before they clashed and create the biggest storm anyone has ever seen in some many years. I finally remember what this ugly feeling is from, something I had not felt since—

"What the hell are we gonna do?" Amelia demands, fear and panic coming over. "I... I can't do this! We're gonna die!"

"Dammit Clant!" shouted Franky.

Panic induced minds can make a person become something primal and viscous when the line of life and death is coming. I look at the diagram, taking in the miles apart the two storms are and what the coordinates we are and how far we may be able to get through...

"Fuck you and you're need to go do some righteous shit!" Franky continues to shout. "Because of you, we are all going to die!"

"Stop it, this isn't helping anyone!" Jesse holds Franky back from trying to lash out.

"We can still get outta here!"

Everyone and everything stopped excluding the storm outside the wheelhouse. I point at the map at the gap between the two storms and lead it straight to an opening that could lead to a current that could pull us faster and farther away from the two storms. It led up north but that was better than nothing. Clant, Jesse, and the some of the others took a good look.

"We can argue and point fingers at who's fault it is or we could try and make a break through the storm before these things come together and make it worse for us than it already is!" I reasoned the older group, pointing at the direction of where the current would be with the help of the navigation system installed on the boat.

Everyone agreed at the moment that living through the storm is more important than standing there doing nothing and arguing. The crew calmed somewhat and head back outside to enforce the windows, lock up the equipment hanging out on the deck, and check up on the two crew mates tucked safely down below.

_'We're gonna make it,'_ I tell myself with a grin. _'We're gonna make it out of this!'_

Then three things happened. A ten foot wave his the side of the_ Monte Blanc_, there was a scream, and then there was a paniced scream from Pamela;

"Man overboard!"

Without much thought I jump down from the upper deck and ignore the pain, grab a nearby lifering and tie a rope one on the ring and the other on a hook sticking out from the side of the boat, and take a quick breath of air before diving into the violent ocean.

"REUBEN!"

Everything is dark, cold, and trying to pull me down but I hold on strong and the lifering pulls me up, I take a goodl gulp of the air before I'm taken under once more. I pull up once more and stay on the surface, looking for the person that fell overboard the ship from the last wave and sure enough I see a yellow blob waving wilding not too far away.

It's Vincent.

"Vincent!" I shout to him, swimming to him with the lifering under my arm. "Vincent! Swim here!"

The older man fights against the current pushing him further away from the ship, using the waves I come closer and closer to him until I finally feel his fingers brushing against my arm. With one last push from his legs, he latches onto me and climbs his way to the lifering where I lift the heavy thing to have Vincet inside the ring. I turn back to the others and see them faintly calling for us.

"PULL US IN!" I scream as loud as I can, holding onto the lifering. "I SAID PULL US IN!"

I smile at the feeling of the lifering being tugged by the others, I feel Vincent's grip on my arms and I look up at him to tell him that all was well but pause to see a horror-stricken expression on his wrinkled face. Following his line of vision, I look back to see what exactly has Vincent spooked than he already is with the two hurricanes ordeal.

A wave.

A _monster_ wave.

I nearly felt my grip on the lifering slacken but Vincent kept his tight grip on me and I snap out of my shock, turning to face the crew that are working faster when they too caught sight of the incoming giant rogue wave forming behind the _Monte Blanc_ but the ship too far to hit the ship. But that didn't mean it could get both me and Vincent. I kick my legs hard to help hasten the pace of the pulling, wanting to get the hell out of the water as soon as possible or the worse will happen. And suddenly, my thoughts went on about how my ears can hear anything...

I can hear everyone on the ship screaming our names, the lifering being pulled much faster than they can handle, I can hear the loud clapping of the thunder above us, I can hear how big the wave is rising and how closer it is coming to me and Vincent.

And I hear it coming down on us.

"Vincent, hold on!" I shout one last time.

A heavy slam of salty ocean water pounded down, Vincent nearly losing his hand on the lifering on him and myself hanging on as best I can...

Seeming forever since the wave came down and brought the two crew mates under the sea, the crew on the _Monte Blanc_ pulled on the rope left behind to them, praying to God that the wave didn't take them under and left them with an empty lifering.

"I got 'em!" shouted Hansley, having ran down the deck long ago from the shouting of a man overboard. He gripped onto a familiar yellow blob and hauls them up, Franky and Jesse helping while the others pulled the rope.

"Wha...?" Hansley stops, staring with frozen horror at the sight. "He... he didn't..."

There on the deck sat Vincent Burnseid, alone with the lifering surrounding his chest and in his hands is a torn piece of yellow cloth he refused to let go.

"I..." Vincent gasps in the much needed air he was deprived of. "I couldn't hold on!"

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the dark depth of the ocean, I kept fighting to stay up. The more I climbed, the more lighter is became. I needed to breathe, I needed air so badly! I can't die like this, I promised dad and mama I would come home and be off to college like they wanted, like everyone wanted. I can't die, I screamed beneath the waters, I cannot die!<p>

Clawing my way up the water, I reached for the surface and burst through the water and screamed at the top of my lungs. My arms swinging violently, I cough up the nasty salt water in my mouth before I continue to scream my lungs out, wishing that Clant and the others can hear me and come back for me. I don't wanna die, I wanna live!

**"HANSLEY~~!"**

I'm still kicking my legs, splashing water, and spitting out sea water.

Something tugs at the back of my rain wear and my body is being tugged backwards, I swings my arms and kick but I'm still being pulled further and further until my feet begins to touch the ground. I cough and rub my eyes, feeling the water growing more shallow until the pulling stops and I remove the blurry vision and open my eyes to meet the sight of small waves coming up on a sandy beach. The ocean is bright blue and see through, the kind of beach you'd see on some brochure on a tropical island resort...

_'H-how did I...?'_ I sniff, some tears falling out of my eyes.

"Hey, you're alright!" a loud voice announces next to my ear.

I whip around and come face-to-face with a grinning boy who crouches beside me in the water in his red sleeveless vest and blue jean shorts, his dark hair obscured by a strawhat.

"Hi there, I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"


	3. The Dreamers Part One

**A/N:** That update took longer than I thought... but that's fine because we're finally in ONE PIECE! Say it with me people,_ "YAY!"_. So, I got that in one chapter now we finally get the good stuff, I bet you guys are just happy that all that boring ordeal in the real world is over with and now we get to the part where the pirates are sailing the seas and people are stretching their arms.

Another thing I wanted to add to this is something I've picked up on the Supernatural show; trivia. Yeah, I know it seems silly but sometimes when I go to Super-wiki and look at the trivia, I can't help but laugh a little and know more and more about what I'm looking at. So those of you that are confused at the mentioning of certain things, I put a star on each word or sentence and when you get to the bottom of the chapter you'll find many definition of the references.

Just remember to read and review, it will be appreciated much greatly, thank you!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 2 - The Dreamers Part One (_The Pirate King, The Marine, & The Great Swordsman_)**

**—**

The sky is very blue with white fluffy clouds spotted here and there in various shapes and sizes, and the beach's sand is as soft as powder while the ocean is a transparent teal color, the occasionally warm breeze brushing on by the simple careless scene; Paradise.

"God, am I dead?" I ask out loud, looking at the sky for an answer.

"Huh?" the boy Luffy—what the hell is a Luffy?—tilts his head to one side like a confused tiny child. "Why would you think that? Are you stupid?"

"You didn't see that?" I ignore the insult and wave at the direction of the ocean.

"I saw you," he replies, pulling his hands behind the back of his neck. "You were pretty loud."

"I mean, you didn't see a storm? A the sky raining non-stop?"

"Mmmm... nope!"

"You sure I ain't dead?"

"Hah! You're pretty funny, I like you!"

A storm with two oncoming hurricanes shouldn't have been able to have disappeared so fast and I wasn't far out from the shore when I thought more about the distance between where I popped up and from the beach. But how? There was no sign of an island anywhere... unless this is one of those tiny islands nobody can see on the map, but it still didn't explain how fast the storm has passed while I had gone under for nearly a minute.

"... so will you?" I hear Luffy say and realize he must've said something to me but I didn't pay any attention to him.

"Will I what?" I ask.

"Come with me?"

That's right, this guy is here so that means there is bound to be some boat he came in somewhere anchored on the shoreline of this small island, a boat that could take me off this island and back to civilization. People are gonna think I'm dead and I ain't up for being greeted by annoying new media that want to make a big deal out of something like that.

"Yeah," I agree with him, standing up. "Yeah, I'm definitely gonna go with you!"

"That's great! Yahoo!" he cheers, and I can't help but smile myself. Happy to survive that horrible storm.

I hear footsteps and look over my shoulder to spot a boy in glasses... with pink... hair? He didn't even look the type to dye his hair, especially the color pink. Talk about never judging a book by the cover. I continue to stare at him as he comes closer to us, the boy slows down in his jog when he finally reaches Luffy and myself.

"Ah! There you are...!" the boy falters, taking a good look at me before gaping at me. "There's_ two_ of you?"

"Hmm? Oh, you're that cabin boy!" Luffy points at the pink-haired boy he seems familiar with. "Who the hell are you?"

Okay, maybe not so familiar.

"I-I'm Coby. You're gonna have to leave, you made lady Alvida pretty mad!" the pink-haired boy warns Luffy.

"Alvida...?" Luffy and I asked simultaneously.

"She's known as the pirate_ 'Iron Bludgeon Alvida'_, she carries a huge iron mace and she'll smash your head to pieces with it!"

Wait... did he say pirates? He doesn't mean the kind of pirates that are known to sneak up on cruise ships to steal oil or hold the entire ship hostage until their demands are met or whatever... right? Oh shit, out of the pan and into the fire it seems!

"Oh, that's not important." Luffy bluntly says, the other boy looking crestfallen. "Do you have a boat I can use, I lost mine in a whirlpool and—"

"EH? A whirlpool! How did you survive that!" Coby's jaw dropped. "Is that why you were in the barrel?"

"Wait a minute, what whirlpool?" I turn to Luffy in confusion. "And what the hell were you doing inside a barrel?"

"I had to escape somehow, right?" Luffy laughs at both me and Coby.

"How did you get here then? I thought you already had a boat!" I question him some more.

"Oh I did, I just lost it and went in a barrel." he laughs, making me want to question this scarred-face guy's sanity. "I fell asleep but when I woke up, there were these guys and Coby there, and something hit me and I went flying."

"_Uh-huh..._" nobody could buy this crap, could they?

"And then I heard some screaming," he points to the place where he first dragged me out. "And I found you and pulled you out of the ocean."

"Ah, well, thanks." I mutter.

Luffy just laughs again as he follows Coby leading the way where his boat is. We walk further into the island's forest and while the both of them are talking, I take the time to clean off the excess water soaked in my clothes and pull off my sou'wester hat to ruffle my wet dark hair that dropped over my eyes.

"Oh, uh, what's your name?" Coby politely asks with a shy tone that told me the kid is timid and not use to talking to total strangers.

"Hah! I forgot to ask!" Luffy laughs, I can't help but think this guy has a thing for laughing a lot.

"Eh? Isn't he you're traveling companion, Luffy-san?"

"We just met actually." I correct him. "And the name is Reuben, nice to meet ya Coby, Luffy."

We are led to some thick cover of trees in a wide space where in the middle is a very poorly hand-made boat with plenty of holes for the water to seep through and sink the miserable looking thing.

"Is this some coffin?" Luffy gawks at the thing, and very bluntly.

"I made this secretly for the past 2 years." Coby murmurs, I wanted to hit Luffy for saying something out loud to hurt the poor kid's feelings.

"You made this for 2 years? And you wanna give it us?" I can see where this question was going.

"Yeah, I don't want it anymore. I was going to run away on this, but I don't have the guts to do it. Looks like I'm going to be chore boy my whole life... even though I want to do something else."

"Who are you trying to leave?" I ask, knocking on the wood of the make-shift boat.

"The pirates,"

"Then leave!" both Luffy and I blurt out.

"N-no way! Whenever I think about how lady Alvida will find out, my legs get mushy! I'm scared out of my wits!" Coby breaks out in cold sweat as his eyes seem to drift, probably thinking back on the past. "I just went out fishing one day, and I accidentally got on the wrong ship, since then I've been serving lady Alvida for 2 long years, just to survive!"

"You're pretty stupid and useless," I gape at Luffy's words. "And you're very wimpy, I don't like you!_ Shishishi_!"

I can't hold back anymore, I slap the back of Luffy's head. "You jackass! No one can laugh at somebody with this sort of trouble hanging over their heads! Not to mention when their in a crisis between life and death!"

"Oww..."

"But he's right, If only I was brave enough to..." Coby looks up at Luffy. "Luffy, why are you sailing...?"

"I want to become the Pirate King!" Luffy answers after a quick recovery from the bump on his head.

_'Say what?'_

"_WHAAT~~_?" a bewildered Coby gawks at Luffy. "The _'Pirate King'_ is the title of someone who had everything in the world! Are you telling me you're looking for the greatest treasure; **_One Piece_**?"

Pirate King? One Piece? What the hell kind of talk is this? I didn't understand a work both Coby and Luffy are talking, I feel so out of the loop. This is just bizarre... Wait! Luffy said he is a pirate!

"You're a pirate?" I ask out loud, giving a quick and closer inspection of Luffy. The guy has a scar under one of his eyes with two stitches but no weapons what so ever on his person. "You sure as hell don't look like one!"

"I don't?" Luffy does a quick once over on himself before returning his eyes on me.

Coby meanwhile is recovering from a bump on the head himself he received from Luffy while I had gone to la~la~ land. Coby is sitting on the ground, a desperate hopeful look on his face.

"You know, I've always wanted to be... a marine."

Nervous and timid little pink-haired, glasses-wearing Coby wanted to be a loud, vicious, foul-mouth killing machine Marine? I cannot see this kid getting past the first day in boot camp with a drill sergeant screaming his ear 24/7.

"A marine?"

"I know this will mean we'll be enemies but joining the marines so I can catch bad guys had always been my dream!"

_'No way this kid will last.'_

"D-do you think I can do it?" Coby looks at me and Luffy.

"How should we know?" I answer instead, looking a little unsure.

"I have to try at least! I'd rather die trying to get and join the marines th-than stay here and forever remain a Pirate's chore boy! And when I'm strong enough, I'll be able to arrest people like Alvida—"

"Who did you say..." a deep feminine voice comes from behind us. "... ARE YOU GOING TO ARREST, COBY?"

**_CRASH!_**

The boat that Coby spent so long making is smashed to smithereens, I watched in fascination as the multiple pieces of wood fly over us. Our attention is then turned to face a very obese freckle-faced woman looking very cowgirl-esque and a giant iron mace resting on one shoulder. Behind her is a handful of big and scary looking men armed with swords and old musket guns.

"L-lady Alvida!" Coby whimpers.

"Did you think you can escape me?" she cackles down at the smaller boy.

So this is the scary pirate lady Alvida, I can't help but crack a little smile on my face. She and her posse of _'Pirates'_ looked just fucking ridiculous! This looked something out of Cutthroat Island*****! I snap out of my thinking when she looks at Luffy and then to me before her eyes return to Coby with a sneer on her red lips.

"Did you hire these two to capture me? Neither of them aren't Roronoa Zoro. Anyway, before I kill you, tell me this Coby," Alvida cackles again. "Who is the most beautiful woman to sail the East Blue?"

"Ah, eh heh heh...! Of course, that'll be—" Coby is cut off by Luffy, who by the way is pointing at fat woman.

"Who's this walking tub of lard?"

Alvida and the men behind her let their jaws drop and their eyes nearly pop out of their sockets, I don't hold back and let out a loud laugh. This was funny! Coby is imitating their jaw-dropping bug-eyed expression.

"That walking piece of pork chop is a _PIRATE?_" I laugh while holding my best and gasping for air. "The pistols and swords... HAH HAH! What is this? The dark ages?"

Luffy stares at me for a moment before joining me in my laughing, swinging his long arm around my shoulder and letting his head tilt back.

"_Shishishishi_! I knew I liked you for a reason!"

"You two...!" we hear her growl darkly.

"Luffy-san, Reuben-san! Please, repeat after me; In all the Blue Sea lady Alvida is... is..." Coby hesitates, thinking that he may very will be destroying his dream, and then instead retorts out loud. "She's the most ugliest walking tub of pork chop to ever sail the East Blue seas!"

A large shadow loomed over Coby, and the boy hesitantly lifts his head to look up to the person he insulted. Alvida did not look at all amused by Coby's defiance he adopted from both Luffy and I, sweat breaking out again as the woman lifts her large iron mace to smash the kids like her nickname suggests. I pull on the stops at laughing because at this point, everything was getting serious and at the last second, I pull Coby by the back of his shirt and away from the line of fire as the woman brought down her weapon with a roar.

"Holy shit!" I let out, falling back on my ass with Coby still in my arms. "You almost killed him you fat pig!"

"Watch you mouth you vermin!" she screeches and I can't help but watch in frozen horror along with Coby as she aimed again, only with me to add as a bonus.

But before she could land a blow, Luffy is in front of us and his head is met with the iron mace. I let out a startled yelp, Coby screaming out like a little girl at the horrific sight of someone getting their head smashed.

"Your weapons won't work on me," Luffy's laughing voice erupts the briefly silent air. "Because I'm a _rubber_ man!"

A rubber man?

"Th-that's impossible! My mace!" Alvida begins to panic, the men behind her doing the same.

"What the hell? That thing should've cracked his skull!" I say to myself, wondering if Luffy has a thick head or that mace was just for show and really made of foam material.

"Gumo Gumo no..." and to mine and everyone else's astonishment, Luffy's arm began to stretch back.

I'm beginning to question if I really am dead because there is no fucking way in Heaven or Hell could a person stretch their arms back. Stretch it out like 7 feet away! The rubber pulls back with much haste, coming to hit the fate pirate woman who is still in shock from Luffy's survival against her precious bludgeon weapon.

"PISTOL!"

**_BAM!_**

And bye bye went Ms. Alvida, flying all the way until she was just a twinkle in the big blue sky.

"Luffy..." I whisper out because I couldn't really find my voice at the moment. "What are you?"

"_Shishishi_! I'm a rubber man!" Luffy demonstrates by pulling at his cheek, stretching it out like he belonged in Ripley's Believe it or Not*****! Luffy returns his gaze at the petrified crew left behind and at the very mercy of the boy who defeated their captain in just one hit. "Prepare a boat for Coby! He wants to join the Marines so you better stay out of his way, got it?"

"Y-y-yes sir!" they agreed very quickly.

"Luffy-san..." Coby trembled in my arms, I could feel small drops of water on my hand and I just held the kid a little tighter to my chest.

* * *

><p>"Wait, wait, a Devil Fruit?" I'm still recovering from Luffy's perfect imitation on Mr. Fantastic<strong>*<strong>.

"Yep! And I ate the Gumo Gumo Fruit."

"What the hell is a Gumo?" I turn to Coby for help, who quirks a brow at me.

"It means gum, like rubber."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place, you dummy!" I accuse Luffy, glaring at him.

"Are you stupid?"

"Why you...!" it's not my fault I sometimes can't understand what they're saying. Like Coby with ending our names with a "-san" and Luffy calling rubber _"gumo gumo"_ and shit. It was just complicated.

"Hey Luffy, since you're looking for One Piece, that means you'll have to try and cross the Grand Line."

"Yep!"

"But that place is known as the Pirate's Graveyard."

"Yeah, and that's why I need a strong crew." Luffy explains to us. "And one of them will be... Roronoa Zoro!"

I missed the shocked expression on Coby's face. "Roronoa... Zoro?"

"What are you, crazy? No way! That guy is a _MONSTER_!" Coby shouts—next to my ear—at Luffy with an incredulous look on his face. "Rumor has it that he's a demon in human form!"

"That's it. They're all a bunch of stupid rumors man. They can say Luffy is a blood thirsty pirate but look at 'im, he ain't like that at all." I calm the frigid boy, just beginning to see why Luffy found Coby's worrisome behavior annoying.

"But still..."

"But nothing. Not shut up and help us out."

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Shell Town Marine Base }-¤-¤-¤-**

While Luffy ignored Coby's jabbering on about how ruthless Roronoa Zoro is, I actually took time to listen because there was basically nothing to do but sit on the cramped boat on hours end other than talk about Luffy's future career as an infamous man on the sea with his strong crew. A navigator being the important thing on the list of future potential crew mates the crazy nugget is planning on recruiting (pirates, I still can't believe they're real with the whole eye-patch, peg leg, swords and muskets gig). Apparently I finally caught on to what the kid was telling us, and now it was up to me to reason the unpredictable stretchy companion.

"Luffy, that guy is a bounty hunter. A man of the law. And you happen to be outside the law."

It actually made Luffy pause in his step, looking at me, the voice of reason since Coby couldn't be counted on to explain the whole thing the right way when he just keeps babbling on how scary this Roronoa guy is, not what sort of job he is committed to doing.

"And how can you be so sure he's actually here?" I turn next to Coby, he flinched at the whip of my head directed at him. Still getting used to being liberated by Luffy.

"U-uh, last I heard, he was arrested. Probably did something horrible enough for the marines to catch him."

"... He's arrested?" I look for confirmation on this.

"Y-yes...?"

I turn back to Luffy and give him a nod. "Okay, lets get a look at this guy."

"EH? What?" Coby shouts in surprise, gobsmacked at my suddenly easy agreement when I was just originally against the idea as he was. "Wh-why did you change your mind?"

"The guy is arrested, meaning he's in trouble with the law." I explain to him. "I say it's pretty much safe to confront him at this point."

"No way! You can't do this!" Coby begs, pulling on my rain wear sleeve. "Please reconsider this!"

"Look, you wanted to go to the Marine Base, remember? And besides, if you don't wanna come with us, you can stay here, okay?"

"C'mon, c'mon! Lets go already, Reuben!" Luffy whines like a little kid wanting to go and get some candy or to some amusement park but is being denied of it instead.

I pull away from Coby and Luffy leads the way and not a few seconds later I hear small timid footsteps hurrying along before coming to walk to our pace. Typical Coby. I can't help but gawk a little at the huge building, looking like a vase that started wide at the bottom and got thinner as it rose up. This island had to be some on some map, right? There are people here but this buildings are unique that I've never seen anything like them. Then again, this must be one of those things that foreign people would built just to sate some curiosity or just be creative with the architecture.

"Some, Roronoa Zoro should be somewhere there, right?" I ask Coby.

Suddenly the people on the street surrounding us three jumped at the mention, deep fear in their eyes and sweat pouring down. I quirk and brow at the people and watch them scamper on off somewhere out of sight, likely to hide in their homes.

"_Okaaay..._" I mumble, looking around to find the place nearly abandoned. "That's not weird at all."

"Don't say that out loud!" Coby hisses. "These people are probably traumatized because of that brute!"

"Well sorry!" I grumbled, tucking my hands in my pockets.

"Anyway, I saw a notice on the streets, they say that there's someone called Captain Morgan at the base..."

Again, on the next block people jumped at the mention of a marine's name. Okay, maybe I can sympathize with these people since marines are prone to shout in your face with spit flying out. Still, the deep shaken fear in them is something that worried me, I ignore Luffy's boast of laughing about how funny this town seems to be in his point of view.

"What is their deal?" I mutter.

"I'm kinda worried," Coby whispers between Luffy and I. "I can understand Zoro being a figure of fear but Lieutenant Morgan...? There's something not right."

"Maybe it's because he did something bad." Luffy offers an open suggestion and that was something I'm beginning to agree.

"No way! That's impossible!" Coby readily denies.

Almost after a 30 minute walk to the main base, the thing proved to be huge as it forced me to tilt my head back, or it could very well be my sou'wester hat limiting my view. Luffy and Coby take the moment to take in the majestic sight of the building, I spot the corner of the smaller kid's eyes beginning to water for an ambition becoming a reality for him like he wanted so badly.

"This building is ugly up close," Luffy announces and I laugh at his great timing in destroying the moment for Coby.

"I concur." I add to this, earning a tiny glare at the pink-haired boy.

"Well, go on!" Luffy slaps Coby's back as encouragement.

"W-well, I'm getting second thoughts here. That incident in the streets is suspicious and... Ah, Luffy-san!" Coby's rambling probably bored Luffy because next thing I knew, the guy is climbing on the high wall, looking back and forth for the person he's looking for.

"Hmm, where could he be?" the lanky boy mutters to himself.

"Luffy, they probably locked him up somewhere inside the building, they can't have possibly have him outside..."

"Hey, I think I see him!" Luffy laughs, letting go of the grip he has on the edge and running along on the side, leaving both me and Coby to ourselves.

I look down at the smaller boy, smiling at him teasingly. "We really gotta get you another set of vocabularies that have nothing to do with the word 'impossible' because we all know how well that's turning out for us."

"Reuben-san, you're not helping at all,"

"Whatever, lets go follow Luffy."

The guy is thankfully not so far away, climbing up the wall and peeking over to see whatever has caught his interest, I help Coby up since he seems to have trouble and wants to see with his own eyes. Only he falls back after catching sight of the guy.

"Th-that's him! The bandana and haramaki! That's _him_!"

I let out a huff at this kid's terror and climb up the wall beside Luffy to finally catch a good look on this guy that was the talk of the town and between these two companions of mine.

There in the middle of a deserted courtyard and tied to a wooden stake is a man, his head bowed and eyes shadowed by the black bandana tied around his forehead that covered nearly the top half of his cranium. Dressed in dirty, sweaty white shirt, a green striped sash and black pants with boots to end his inspecting. Looking at him, I see that even though he's tied down, the guy seemed to retain an air of an undefeated man that refused taking things easy.

"Hey, you two," a raspy rough voice calls out, making me come back from my thoughts to see shadowed eyes looking directly at Luffy and me, Coby still on the bottom but freaking out just from hearing the man's voice. "Can you untie me? I've been here for 9 long days and I'm feeling kind of faint here."

"Hey, he's talking to us!" Luffy grinned, tugging at my rain wear which I pull away from.

"I know that. I can hear him." I pointed out to the silly brat before looking back at the other man. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. You get me out and I'll hunt down and kill whomever you like dead, I keep my words. I'm not lying. I'll even give all the money over to you."

Wait a minute... ain't a bounty hunter suppose to catch the intended target, not kill them unless they got trouble with whom they're trying to catch? I am beginning to see why Coby and numerous other people feel very uneasy about that guy, why they are so frightened of him. He can kill people, I dunno how, but this man kill a person without flinching.

"That's a pretty genuine offer there, too bad I don't got anybody in mind I want dead." I reply, down right refusing.

"Luffy-san, Reuben-san, don't fall for that! The moment you let those ropes fall he'll kill us all and escape!"

"That's not possible," Luffy grins with confidence shining through. "Because I'm strong."

"Hm?" the man narrows his eyes at Luffy's statement, looking a bit miffed.

At the sound of Coby choking and wood hitting cement, Luffy and me look at the side to see a girl climbing on a ladder up to where our heads our, gesturing for us to stay quiet before using a rope to climb the way down once she got to the other side with her arm full of some small package. I watch, slightly alarmed and not noticing Coby climb the ladder to watch with horror as the girl closes the gap between herself and the bounty hunter.

"Guys, do something! He might kill her!" Coby shakes a trembling finger at the man and girl.

"Go do it yourself," Luffy rebuffs.

"_Luffy!_" I snap back, glaring at him.

"He won't do that, I know it." Luffy assures, grinning at me and I prayed he was right about this.

"Uh, I made this for you aniki! It's my first time, so..." the little girl presents the man with white balls that look like rice wrapped in a green seaweed like some sort of taco. "I know you must be very hungry."

"Go away! I don't want it, get lost!" the man growls threatening, but it was more of a show of intimidating the girl rather than truly trying to harm her.

"But..."

"If you don't walk away right now, I'll break out of here and _kill_ you!" he snarls at the girl.

Before anymore can be done or said, the gates from far near the entrance of the marine headquarters opens to reveal three people, one of which I can't help but stare at so openly. I agreed on Luffy's statement of a weirdo now walking on the premises; the guy has the ultimate butt chin! And his hair! His blond hair shaped into some mushroom, it was another ridiculous thing I have come across since the Alvida gang. But the guy looked more on the lines of the snobbish type that looked down on others and used personal military armies for their own pathetic uses.

"Why am I not surprised to find you picking on little girls, Roronoa Zoro." the purple suited blond approaches the tied man and the little girl.

"Well if ain't the Captain's bastard son, Helmeppo..." Zoro glares at the blond mushroom.

_'First the name Luffy, now Helmeppo? What part of some country did I land myself in?'_ I thought to myself with a tiny sweatdrop coming down the side of my head.

"Keep calling me that and I'll get my dad to worsen this than it already is!" Helmeppo threatens. "Just remember why you're here in the first place and you have no one to blame but yourself!"

"That's just not right...!" Coby whispers shakily, his finger gripping tightly on the edges of the cement wall. "Marines should never act like this! Don't they have any shame?"

"Not all is black and white in the world, kid." I tell him bluntly, Coby needed to learn it someday or another how mixed the line between the law can be.

"Oooh, say those onigiri look very tasty, gaki!" without any further ado, the man swipes the white balls, ignoring the little girl's cries before suddenly coughing the food from his mouth. "_Ack_! What is this? They're suppose to have salt in them, not sugar!"

Like a salt on a open wound, the girl watches in horror as the older man stomped on her hard work of making whatever that stuff is. All that is left now is just a dirty brown crumpled rice.

"I-I-I thought that it should be sweet...!" the girl's lower lip quivered and her eyes glazed with tears beginning to fall down her baby fat cheeks.

"Don't worry, the ants will eat them." Helmeppo stiffens at the sound of the girl sobbing quietly. "It's your fault you know, you know you shouldn't be in the area since this is off limits and yet here we are. My dad doesn't like any people breaking any rules he sets up. And we all know how scary my dad can be when someone breaks his rules, right?"

That butt-chinned, mushroom-headed dick!

"Oi! Throw this brat over the wall." Helmeppo orders one of the guards.

"Huh? But sir, she's just a little girl!"

"Do you have any idea who you are disobeying! I'll tell my dad on you!"

"... Y-yes sir, right away sir!"

At that moment, I grabbed Luffy and Coby by the scruff of their clothes and dragged them down with me to the floor in a dog pile so we could be avoid being spotted by the marines. And not a second too soon, the little girl is tossed over the wall but thankfully she lands safely... on us.

"_Owww...!_"

Coby is the first to recover, helping the smaller girl up and looking for any injuries. Thankfully she is unhurt, just shaken and still shedding some tears. "Thank goodness you're okay."

"Such willpower!" Helmeppo's voice is heard from beyond the walls and we listened intently. "Just one month and you're free to go."

"That's fine," Zoro's rough voice come through, still strong strong despite how tired he looked. "You just keep your end, got it?"

"Oh, I'll keep my promise._ Heh heh heh_...! Good luck~!" and the sound of footsteps faded until the gates that the marines had come through closed.

"Hey, take her back home, will ya?" I order Coby before climbing the wall with Luffy.

"O-okay," I heard Coby reply.

I jump over the wall, and make way to the staked man but careful to keep my distance. Luffy, for once, wisely does the same in keeping himself out of range for the guy to pull any funny stunts on us. The troubled bounty hunter rewards our presence with a nasty face.

"You two still here?" I looked around the abandoned grounds before nodding for confirmation. "You should go before he spots you and tells on his dad."

"Such a daddy's boy, huh?" I try easy talk, folding my arms. I saw a twitch at the corner of Roronoa's mouth but it stopped as soon as it started. At least I was getting there.

"_Shishishi_! No kidding!" Luffy laughs beside me, his hands folding behind his head.

"So you're Zoro, right?" I nod to the bandana-wearing man.

"What about it?"

I give him another quick once over, noticing the three golden earrings on his left ear. "You sure don't look like a Zorro*****..."

"Oi! You messing with me?" he growls, his eyes white and teeth sharp it made me take a step back from the ferocious look. "If I wasn't tied up, I'd kick your ass right about now! Besides, you shouldn't be talking! Over-sized duck!"

I let out a loud snort, covering my mouth to hide my laugh but it's pretty obvious at how funny I found this situation and it only made the man more angry. Luffy took the chance to give me a good long look before bursting into laughter himself, pointing a finger at me.

"He's right! You do look like a duck!"

"This is a rain wear suit for fisherman, you dumbass!" I laugh out loud, clutching my chest.

"Just get the hell out of here! With all the noise you two are making, these guys will come running in and we'll all be in deeper trouble!" Zoro growls at us two.

"We can't leave yet. I'm looking to find more people to join my pirate crew."

All the laughing became a sudden halt and there was nothing but the sound of the dust being rolled around by the wind.

"Luffy, really?" I look at the numbskull before gesturing at a now scowling Zoro. "_REALLY?_"

"What? I haven't decided yet!"

"So you trade yourself for a life of becoming a criminal. Tch! How sad." Zoro mutters darkly at us both. What? Why the hell is he including me? I've got nothing to do with being a criminal myself! I'm actually just some victim from a storm that got caught up with Luffy's craziness.

"It's my dream. There's nothing with being a pirate."

"Of course there a numerous reasons why it's wrong to be a pirate." I said but notice Luffy ignoring me.

"So what? Are you going to set me free and force me to join you?"

"Like I said, I still haven't decided yet."

He looked like he was gonna say yes anyway, so why really hold back? Still, I didn't want a complete stranger just coming in along, I was just lucky with Luffy being the kind of man you can sort of predict with his child-like action but this man in front of us is in a whole other league.

"Whatever, I'll never join you because I've got things that need to be taken care of. Besides, I don't need you lot to help me, I can survive one month on my own."

"Bullshit," I snort. "It's physically impossible for a human being to outlast hunger without food that the body needs for nutrients for a whole month, otherwise they die of starvation and slowly decompose into nothing but a rotting mass of dry flesh."

...

"Nice lesson, professor smartass." Zoro sarcastically said, and this time I feel the fangs growing in my mouth and my vision flare in white hot anger.

"I swear to God I _WILL_ hurt you...!"

"That bastard promised me anyway." Zoro continues on after the air seemed to have calm down somewhat. "I just have to live long enough so I can fulfill my dreams!"

"Really? I wouldn't last a week without eating." Luffy laughs.

"That's why we're different. Go find some else to join your crew."

Seeing that guy really didn't want to have anything to do with us, I nod my head in acknowledgment at head back to the wall we came from, Luffy following me but we stop when Zoro called for us once more.

"Hey, do me one favor," he gestures his head towards the stomped rice balls the girl made and Helmeppo destroyed. "Feed that to me."

"But it's all muddy..." Luffy grimaced as he picks up the flattened rice. "I guess beggars can't be choosers when they're hungry."

Luffy takes a step towards Zoro but I stop him from moving any closer with a hand on his vest, causing both guys to look at me with different expressions; confusion and irritation. Yes, I know earlier we all were just making simple small talk, yet that still didn't leave me to let my guard down around this Zoro fella.

"What?" the man glares at me. "You got something to say?"

"Yeah," I clutch Luffy's vest tightly, my eyes turning hard and my mouth forming a grim line. "You try anything on Luffy, I'm gonna _fuck you up_. Got it?"

There was thick tension coming all over us, Zoro's body tensing and my body remaining stone cold. And then, a tiny smile comes to the corner of Zoro's lips.

"Fine with that."

I slowly let go of Luffy, eyes watching like a hawk.

"_Shishishi_! You're just as bad as Coby, Reuben!" Luffy laughs, coming into Zoro's range and easily putting all the squashed dirt rice into Zoro's awaiting open mouth.

"_Mmph_! _Eugh_! _Nngh_! _Auck_!"

"He's choking," Luffy noted the reaction the rice balls did for Zoro.

"I can see that."

"T-tell the little girl..." Zoro pants out, finally having bravely swallow the whole thing. "Tell the girl that the onigiri... were r-really good, thank y-you very much...!"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Shell Town Streets }-¤-¤-¤-**

"He really said that?" Rika, the girl who bravely went over the walls for the bounty hunter to serve him some of that onigiri stuff, beamed with utter joy after Luffy told her what happened after she and Coby left. "I'm so happy!"

"I'm beginning to have some questions on whether he really is a bad person as everyone says he is," Coby mumbled.

"He isn't!" Rika shakes her head. "Aniki didn't do anything wrong, it's just the people are afraid of him."

"So what happened? How'd he get himself into trouble?" I asked the big question that the other two seemed to have wanted to know.

"It's my fault really that he got arrested. Helmeppo had a pet wolf he would let loose and that scared the people, and then aniki killed it."

"Are you saying," Luffy scooted closer to the girl, his face scrunched up in bewildered confusion. "That this Helmeppo guy got him in trouble... over a pet wolf?"

Wolves are barely on the line of extinction, even if it was causing a fuss it shouldn't have been taken to the point where it needed to be killed. That just made the situation for the animal much worse, but I suppose these guys don't like to listen to reason. But when I really thought about the situation, my instincts are saying that this Helmeppo and his father don't sit well with me.

"So Zoro is just caught up in the mess of some big-shot marine, right?" I turn to the girl.

"Mm! The Morgans are the _real_ bad guys." Rika sits down next to Luffy with her knees to under her chin, her face changing into a hopeless look. "If you disobey them, they'll execute you."

Before more can be said, an obnoxious laugh fills the air on the streets and the people begin to drop on their knees with their heads brushing against the cobblestone floor. I knew, even before I looked over my shoulder, who is causing all this troublesome commotion for the people of this town;

"Helmeppo," Luffy, Coby, Rika, and I say.

"You raise your head any higher than me, I'm gonna tell my dad. You wanna end up like that Roronoa guy? Be my guest, you can join him in the gallows! _Heh heh heh_...!"

_'What...?'_

"Three days," I freeze when I see Luffy walk up to Helmeppo. "Did you say you'd give him a month?"

Fuck! Luffy, no! That bastard is gonna realize we were trespassing on private property and now he's gonna have us arrested because you opened your big pie whole—

"Who are you? How rude!" Helmeppo huffs, his arms folding across his chest with a distasteful look on his face.

Maybe because he was blond, it helped that the guy was just clueless.

"I was joking with that idiot. Only an idiot would believe in that! _Heh heh heh_!" Helmeppo ranted, unaware of the violent twitch in Luffy's arm but it was too late.

_**THWAK!**_

"Aaaah!"

"Kyyaaaa!"

"Luffy!" Coby cried in shock before quickly latching on his arms from behind, holding him back best as he could from continuing to hit Helmeppo. "Please, stop it or we'll be in more trouble!"

"Reuben!" Luffy called out sharply. "I've decided... I want Zoro to join!"

"Hmph, your the captain. Do as you please."

"Awesome!" Luffy grinned back at me.

"Y-you fools! Do you have any idea who you just hit! I'm the Lieutenant's son, Helmeppo! And not _ONCE_ had my dad even hit me!" the downed mushroom head clings behind one of his marine bodyguards and treating the growing bruise on his face like a mortal wound that he needed to be carried back. "You'll be in trouble for this, I guarantee it!"

"Come back here and fight your own battles, ya little bastard!" I challenged him, wanting to have a go with punching his face in.

"Just you wait... You're all gonna get it!" Helmeppo and his two marine guards leave the streets.

"What a crock," I commented with a huff.

"That was sooo cool, onii-chan!" Rika comes up to us when the coast in clear. "I was so scared a while ago!"

"_Shishishi_! I should've hit him a little more then."

"RIKA!" a woman nearby shrieks, rushing over quickly to pluck the little girl and head inside the house. "Don't talk to them, otherwise the marines will kill you if they though they were your friends!"

"B-but mommy...!"

The mother didn't hear the rest of it, Rika shared one last apologizing look to us and the door closes behind her, everyone doing the same to not get involved with us. I adjust the sou'wester on my head and look back at the building we just came from almost an hour ago.

"Looks like we'll be doing a little Clint Eastwood action*****, fellas." I tell the others.

"Clint Eastwood...?" I hear Coby behind me quietly mouth to Luffy.

"_Shishishi_! You say really funny stuff, Reuben!"

"Shut up..."

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Marine Base }-¤-¤-¤-**

Inside the main building, a large shadowy man sat on a reclining chair, puffing a cigar in his metal jaw mouth whilst watching the world from outside his bright window. The marine officer stood nervously, his hand still up in salute and waiting for the man to speak first or otherwise...

"I am... the greatest!" a deep baritone voice breaks the silence.

"You are correct, Captain Morgan, sir!" the marine readily agrees, not wanting to ruin this man's good mood.

"But lately, the offering seems to be decreasing..."

This was not going to be good, the marine officer thought with a loud gulp.

"T-the people are having problems with their financials so... the offerings are coming in a little... slower..."

"The money is not the problem here. It's the people losing their _respect_ for me!"

The sound of rushing footsteps made the two pause and the doors leading to the office slam open, revealing it to be Helmeppo, clutching the side of his bruised face with an expression of utter fury.

"Dad!"

"What is it?" the large man responds.

"I wanna kill a certain person!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Luffy approached the tied up Zoro, me following close behind with my arms crossed as I kept a look-out for any marines that could walk on by any moment.<p>

"Yo," Luffy greets the man cheekily.

"You lot again? I told you, I won't join your crew!"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! If I loosen the ropes then you're going to join me, okay?"

"Right to the point, huh Luffy?" I cackle to myself.

"What are you? A broken record? I have things I need to do!"

"Oh yeah? Like what exactly? Keep on cashing on your catch of the payday?" I raise a brow at him, which I got a glare for.

"No, and it ain't any of your business anyway! I'm not going to become a criminal like some filthy pirate."

"So that's what's worrying you? Everyone already thinks of you as some big bad blood-thirsty killer." I shoot back at him.

"I really don't give a rats ass on what they think or say about me. I haven't done one thing I've regretted in the past and this applies to my future as well; I will never become a pirate!"

"I don't care. You're going to join me." Luffy announces loudly which irked Zoro.

"STOP DECIDING THINGS FOR OTHERS!"

"Hey, I heard you use a katana, right?"

"I could use one right about now."

"Where is it?" I ask.

"That bastard son Helmeppo took it. That sword is something I treasure, other than my life."

Sounds like a sharp-loving blade fanatic we have in our hands. Why did Luffy have to pick up this dude? But I suppose when you want to gather a band of pirates, you get the most scariest and toughest son of a bitch you can find out there in the big blue ocean. I can't believe this part of the world's society is still living like the old times like Blackbeard and some other famous pirates whose names escape me. Once this is over, I'm gonna need to find some map and look where I just landed myself into and see if I can find a phone where I can tell everyone I'm okay...

"Oi, oi! Duck-man, your captain just left you behind!" Zoro breaks me out of my deep thinking, I look around to find that indeed Luffy left me behind with this guy.

"Aw c'mon!" I cry out, waving my arms and settling them back. "That little nose-picker!"

"I sense inner conflict in this crew of yours."

"I'm not in his crew, he ain't my captain. He just helped me out and offered to take me out of this island I got washed up on."

"Washed up...?"

"I'm a fisherman that got caught in the storm," I use my hands to gesture the two big hurricanes. "We were in the middle of these two hurricanes, one behind and the other ahead. One of my crew members went overboard and went in to help."

"Yeah?"

"But there was a huge wave around 30 or 40 feet, a rouge wave, and it got me... But the strange thing is, the second I went up for air, there was not a sight of a dark cloud anywhere for miles. Anyway, I was still thinking I was in the middle of the storm and Luffy pulled me out."

Now that I think about it very carefully, I had wondered how Luffy pulled me out from the sea while he remained dry and untouched of the water. I never took notice until some time afterwards of the small incident but I figured it must have been the sun drying him very quickly and yet it left my head tinkering with small doubts. After seeing Luffy demonstrating his ability to stretch his limbs and skin, it really doesn't take a genious to figure out how he really pulled me out of the waters.

"Reuben-san! There you are!" Coby runs up to us, looking around for Luffy. "Uh, where is Luffy-san?"

"Where do you think?" I answer by gesturing my head to the buildings and Coby let out a shriek.

"W-why didn't you stop him?"

"I was off in la~la~ land."

"Stop joking around!"

All three of us flinched from the sound of something crashing, something of that much noise could only alert the marines in the base thus bring unwanted attention.

"Luffy, you little moron!" I growl, looking at the direction of the buildings. "He's gonna get us killed!"

Without much thinking of the consequences of what I'm doing, I strode over to Zoro and began to try and untie the tight ropes binding his body to the stake. Coby and Zoro share a surprised look on their faces and they choked on their own words for a moment until finding their composure.

"What are you doing?" Zoro demands. "They'll kill you!"

"It really don't matter at this point, friend." I continue anyway.

"What are you talking about?" Zoro shouts.

"Shut yer _fucking_ pie hole and let me help!" I snap at him.

"You...!"

"He's right!" Coby defends, coming to the other side of Zoro's arm to try and untie him. "That Helmeppo guy lied, he was going to break his promise to you. He was going to execute you in three days!"

"No way! He promised me!"

"Luffy punched him on your behalf," Coby added, a smile on his face that turned into a grim line. "My dream is to become a marine, but I can't stand marines that think they're above the law! And Luffy's dream is to be a Pirate King!"

"Pirate King?" Zoro squawked.

"I was shocked myself when I heard it too, but he's serious. And I really believe he'll...!"

_**BANG!**_

My fingers froze and my body tenses at the powerful sound of a gun ringing in my ears. I force my head to look beside me to see Coby on the floor with blood tainting his white shirt and his glasses laying on the ground not too far from him, one of the lenses shattered.

"Hey..."

I've grown up in a place where people die, just in the distance where they are not seen. All sailors die in the ocean, it's something we, the people of the harbor towns, grew up with.

"Hey...!"

But never in my life, never, have I ever seen a person get themselves killed right before my eyes—

"_HEY_!"

**_THWAK!_**

"Ow!" I yell out, my forehead throbbing from where Zoro hit me with his own skull.

"Get out of here while you still can!" Zoro growls out, glaring fiercly but deep down he was pleading for me not to die for him.

"Wuaahh!" we both hear and look back to see that Coby is living and breathing. "I've been shot! I've been shot!"

"Coby! Don't move!" I order him.

"Eh? Why?"

"You move around anymore, you're gonna bleed to death! You here me? Now cover the place that's bleeding the most and press on it. Hard! And for Christ's sake; _don't move_!"

"O-okay!" he sniffs, doing as he's told.

"Now, to get you out!" I go back to Zoro's ropes.

"That's enough!" someone shouts from a few yards away.

"Surround the base! Don't let the brat with a strawhat escape!"

I look to find the owner of the voice and I am left gobsmacked to see a man, no, a big fucking _GIANT_ standing over his marine troops with their rifles aimed at me and Zoro with an also giant _AXE_ replacing his severed hand. Big muscled man with blond hair and tan, the lower part of his jaw replaced with metal as well. I heard Coby let out a startled cry of fear, and I don't blame him for this. It sucks to have been shot, must really suck if he got shot... only shot dead for real.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the giant stalks forehead until he is directly behind his subordinates. "Roronoa Zoro. You sure made your glory days but beside me you're nothing but a piss-ant piece of garbage that _needs to be taken out_!"

"Someone sounds pretty sure for himself despite hiding behind his flunkies," I challenged, feeling really stupid.

"Hey, duck, shut up!" I hear the bounty hunter hiss behind me, warning me to back off. And of course, I ignore the poor tied up bastard.

I do an obvious once over, giving the look that I am checking him over and then giving a nod of the head, a grim smile on my face.

"I can see where your son gets his best qualities from," I point out hautilly, taking note that this Morgan guy is hiding behind all his men, let them do his dirty work. "Like farther, like son."

"You little filthy rat, no one of your worthless existence has any right to talk down on me. No, you don't even have the right to exist!" Morgan roars, pointing his axe arm at us. "SHOOT THEM!"

"Oh fuck!" I cried, taking a step back and waitng for the hundreds of bullets ready to rip through mine, Coby, and Zoro's body.

Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter stared at one end of a barrel and could only think how this just went down the drain for him. He promised. He gave his oath that he would be the world's greatest swordsman and now...

_'I'm going to die!'_

* * *

><p><em>"You're weak, Zoro,"<em>

_"I'll beat you yet, Kuina!"_

_"What's this? You want to challenge me?"_

_"Lets fight for real! With real swords!"_

_"I win,"_

_"It's not fair! I want to win! I WANT TO BE THE WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN!"_

_"You'r lucky you're a boy Zoro... Girls are weak, says papa. I wish I was a man. Even my chest is..."_

_"Don't say that! Don't crying and telling me these things afer you've beat me! That's not fair, Kuina! I want to be like you!"_

_"Zoro..."_

_"Lets make a promise! We'll see who will become the greatest swordsman in the world!"_

_"Heh!... I accept the challenge! After all, I've beaten you in 2001 fights, lets see you try and catch up!"_

_"Kuina has died..."_

_"YOU PROMISED ME YOU BASTARD!"_

_"Human life is fragile, Zoro."_

_"Sensei! Give me her sword! Give me the Wado Ichimonji! I'll fulfill the promise I gave her!"_

* * *

><p><em>'I can't die... I can't die!'<em>

"FIRE!"

Without any warning, I see multiple flashes of fire from the signal of the bullets being fired and I wait for the tiny spheres of death come and drill holes when suddenly a flash or red appears in my vision. It took me a few seconds to realize what this red thing is...

"LUFFY!" I scream, jaw unhinged and body frozen in shock and terror.

My terror is cut short as his skin is stretching out like small pinpoints pushing against rubber. I blink a couple times and came to another conclusion about rubber;

_'Apparently, rubber CAN stop bullets. Fuck you, science*****!'_

"THESE ARE NO USE!" Luffy laughs out, ricocheting the bullets back to their respective owners. Morgan and the marines scramble to get away from the line of fire. "HAHAHAHA!"

"Just what the hell _ARE YOU_?" Zoro demands from behind me.

"Hee hee! I'm the guy who will become the Pirate King!"

"Luffy, just where did you come from?" I ask out of curiosity, wondering how he just appeared right before us.

"From the window." he has the courtesy to point out which and I wonder why would he jump out what seemed to be a an 8 story building from that height of the window.

"Wow," I can only offer as a compliment of his obvious success.

"So hey, I couldn't figure which one was your sword so I took all 3." Luffy offers the three blades that had been strapped on his back.

I quirk a brow. I've seen those kinds of swords before; in Japan. For a quick moment, I think of the possible that maybe, just maybe, I've landed somewhere in Japan. The thought went quickly as it had come, because if I was in Japan, I would only meet very few, if not any, folks of the asian region to not know what the hell I would be talking about. And as far as I know, Japanese people don't have weird names like Luffy and don't cosplay to be pirates or corrupts marines.

_'Are you sure I ain't dead, God?'_

"I don't want to die here," I snap my attention to Zoro, seeing him giving Luffy a wicked grin that promised destruction and death. "I will join your crew!"

It was only a matter of time that this guy would become a first crew mate to Monkey D. Luffy. I smiled at the back of Luffy's head, a little happy that he was starting to get what he wanted out of this spectacular adventure he is so eager to go on about.

"Yes! A companion! Finally!" Luffy cheers with his arms raised high to the sky.

"Can we save the celebrations for later Luffy? We're kinda in trouble at the moment!" I point at the marines, having recovered from the bullets.

"Hmm, these stupid ropes are tight." the pirate captain complains with a pout, fiddling with the binds on Zoro.

"Lieutenant! He's trying to let Roronoa Zoro loose!"

"Don't let him, you fools! Kill them!" Morgan commands with fury.

"If guns won't work on rubber, we'll use swords!"

Rubber may have won against clubs and bullets, but I know for sure that rubber would definantly lose against sharp things like swords.

I think this is a show of science getting back to bite us in the ass.

"Hey, stop messing around and turn me loose!" Zoro demands, watching with growing nervous as the marines drew closer and Luffy is still many away from releasing the bounty hunter—ex-bounty hunter—and his dawdling with the ropes wasn't helping anyone.

"Luffy!" I shout, grabbing one of the swords and unseathing it. "MOVE!"

"WAH!" Luffy cried as he's forcefully kicked away by me and I swing the sharp edge down on Zoro just as the marines happen upon us witha warcry.

**_Clang! Clang! Clang!_**

It's dark and it takes me seconds to realize I closed my eyes. I slowly open them and I find myself on the floor with Zoro standing over me in a crouched position, two swords in each hand and... and the sword I had been using to free him from the ropes, it is placed between his teeth! All three katanas in use of blocking the intended blow of the marines on me and him. I hear Luffy ahead where he had been kicked away pointing and complimenting Zoro's badassery, Coby looked like he is experiencing a heart attack, and Morgan is pissy as ever.

"Any of you move and I will kill you," he warns the marines with a dark low tone, eyes darker under the shadow of his black bandana.

"Three swords...?" I whisper from beneath the looming figure who is blocking all the weapons coming down on me.

"Santoryuu; _Three Swords Style_." Zoro explains, peering down at me and giving me a small grin. "You should get away now, duck."

And I concur on that brilliant idea. I quickly crawl out from between his legs towards Luffy and look back, it's much more amazing to see in a perfect view of Zoro's defense. I'm simply baffled how a person can hold three swords at the same time. Doesn't his jaw ache? But I can see in his stance that this isn't his first time out and he's had years to hone down his ability to weild three swords simultaneously.

"After this I'll be branded a criminal, an outlaw but the only things that really matter to me is reaching to my dream." Zoro looks to Luffy. "I will become the greatest swordsman in the world! I don't care if I'm good or bad anymore, just as long as my name is known who is better behind the blade! If you get in the way of that, I'll_ cut your stomach open_ in a way of apologizing, understood?"

That's a bit too much, no? I look back to Luffy to see how his response is and like always there's that silly smile on his face.

"To be in the future Pirate King's crew I gotta have the best, so if you can't accomplish something like that, I'll be really embarrassed! _Shishishi~_!"

Zoro grinned. "Well said!"

"What are you fools waiting for? Hurry up and kill them!" Morgan ordered with a roar.

"Reuben, Zoro! Get down!"

Luffy pulled back his leg and I knew in an instant what the guy is thinking of doing. I duck down again, covering my head as I hear a 'woosh!' fly over my head.

"Gumo Gumo no... WHIP!"

I can hear the countless bodies falling far away from the force of Luffy's outstretched leg sweeping. I finally come up when I think it's clear enough. Zoro and Luffy are standing, seeing the area clear of any incoming marines at the moment, and I let out a brief breathe of relief.

"Just what are you...?" the swords man asks, looking at Luffy strangely.

"I'm a rubber man!"

I turn my attention to the enemy and see Morgan looming over the fallen bunch, saying something that terrified the poor lackies. Next thing I see to my horror, a small handful of the frightened marines pointing their rifles at the temple of their own head.

"NO!" I shout at them, getting up from the ground. "STOP THAT! WHAT THE _FUCK_ ARE YOU DOING?"

I ran towards them, not wanting to see a person get themselves killed because that big ass dick with an axe told them too. Offing themselves really isn't gonna help anyone. I hear my name being called and I look back and see Luffy running behind me, outstretching his hand towards me and a random idea made itself known. I grab Luffy's hand and with all my strength, I hurl him towards the suicidal men.

"Hey! You fight me!" Luffy shouts, knocking down the men and their weapons and turning his attention to the Lieutenant. "If you have the guts, execute me yourself!"

"Luffy! Beat these guys up!" Coby pleaded, no longer wanting to see anymore of this treasoning and corruption.

"People without any status," coat ripped off, Morgan stood tall and ready to attack Luffy. "Have no right to oppose me!"

"Kick his ass, Luffy!" I point at Morgan. "That guy needs to learn that he ain't at the top of the world than he think he is!"

"Okay!" Luffy agrees.

"I am Captain _Axe-Hand_ Morgan!" the giant roars with a battlecry, ready to slice Luffy in half.

"My name is Luffy," Luffy greets calmly, not at all bothered of the situation he's in. "Nice to meet you!"

"Just DIE!"

Luffy jumped in the air, legs tucked almost under his chin as Morgan did an axe sweep move and dicing a nearby wall and fence in half. The guy is a bastard but even I had to admit that I am scared shitless if I went up against something like big bad Axe-Hand Morgan. No wonder Zoro was getting after me on keeping my mouth shut, anymore insults and I would be just like that damaged wall! Jesus, what is it with these people and their super strength, it's just nearly impossible to deal with it! These waters I am washed up on are just bizarre.

"Argh!" Morgan's big body fell away from the force of Luffy's feet slamming hard into the guy's face.

I am astonished he can even do something like that, along with Coby. Even the marines are shocked at what Luffy is capable of doing. The Captain of the Marines stood up once again, charging at Luffy with his arm raised and Luffy dodged another hit from Morgan, his body twisting in the air and using the opportunity to send a good kick in the bastard's face. Approaching the fallen Captain, Luffy grabbed a handful of the man's dark blue front shirt and pulled his arm back, ready to give this guy a real whooping.

"You and every marine ruined Coby's dream!" Luffy said with a dangerous tone it made me wonder who I should be more worried; him or Zoro?

"Stop it!" someone shouted in the midst of it all.

**_THWAK!_**

Luffy turned away from the bleeding giant, everyone looking to face the forgotten bastard son Helmeppo holding Coby hostage with a pistol aimed at the boy's head. Coby looked like he was going to lose all control to his bladder any second now. I notice Helmeppo looking worse for wear, like he's been dragged around or something. Probably something Luffy did when he caused all that commotion up inside the base.

"I told you to stop!" a deafening sound of the pistol being locked heard. "If you want this little brat to live you better not move!"

Son of a bitch! How ever scared the kid was, Coby spoke loud, shaky, and very bravely,

"Luffy! I... I don't care if I live or die! I don't wanna be in your way!" Coby sniffled, tears in his eyes. "I'm not afraid of dying!"

"Okay, I know!" Luffy grinned happily to his friend.

No... No he's not going to do what I think he's going to? But then, I look at Helmeppo, that guy looked like he was more scared of shooting Coby. I would bet that the guy never killed a person with his own hands, rather let someone else do the dirty job.

"You hear that, idiot? Coby's not afraid of death!" Luffy pulls back his arm.

"You fool! You really want him to die?" Helmeppo shrieks that my ears almost bleed from the high pitch of his tone.

"Go ahead and do it!" Luffy aims at Helmeppo. "Gomu Gomu no..."

"LUFFY!"

I look behind Luffy from where Coby is pointing and sure enough with dread coming over me that the big Captain Asshole is rising from the dirt and raising his axe to attack Luffy with his back turned.

"ZORO!" I shout, gaining the guy's attention for him to notice Luffy in trouble and the guy brandishes his sword, prepared to attack the marine.

All three things happen at once; Morgan is bringing down his axe, Luffy throwing a punch, and Zoro charging at the attacker.

**_SWISH!_**

"PISTOL!"

"PUAHHH!"

_**SLICE!**_

"Nice," Luffy remarks, pulling his hand back from having sent Helmeppo flying. Morgan is still standing over Luffy but is motionless until he falls back to the ground, blood splurting out from his chest of being the recieving end of a very agitated ex-bounty hunter now pirate member of Luffy's crew. "Good job Zoro!"

"Leave it to me," Zoro pauses before adding. "Captain!"

A bright smile comes over the young pirate and his attention reverts in my direction. I raise a brow at him, wondering just what is he staring at me like that for.

"Awesome work, Reuben!"

"What the hell did I do? All I did was just run around." I said, flopping back on my ass.

"Heh, silly," Luffy laughs at me like I made some joke.

The marines are gobsmacked at what they just witnessed. Helmeppo and Captain Morgan on the ground, utterly defeated by a small band of misfits; a nameless crazy pirate, a former bounty hunter, a yellow duck-looking fisherman, and a pink-haired cabin boy. Truly this was something of a sight to behold for them. Zoro made a sideways glance to the group of marines, hand on his swords.

"If you still want to have a got at it, try us."

It went real quiet, until that is...

"WE'RE FREE! MORGAN IS DEFEATED!"

"What a weird bunch..." Luffy comments from beside me.

"Wouldn't you be happy that someone took out the guy who's been playing dictator over this town?" I look up at him, frowning at his cluelessness.

Out of nowhere, Zoro collapsed and we both rush to his side, wondering what the problem is. There was not a single wound on him, so how...?

"Better get him into town as see what they can do for us." I tell Luffy, getting ready to lift Zoro over my shoulders.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Shell Town Resturaunt }-¤-¤-¤-**

"Haaaa~! Man, I'm full! Having not eaten for 9 long days does that to you!" Zoro says, the freakishly green-haired man happily leans back on his chair, hands resting over his full stomach.

After the whole ordeal, we traveled back to the town and had Coby fixed up from his gunshot wound, got Zoro cleaned up, and headed down into the resturaunt that happily served us free food by none other than Rika and her very welcoming mother.

"Told you a person couldn't last a month without eating!" Luffy says through a mouth full of food.

"I can't believe you can eat more than me." Zoro mutters, glaring at Luffy.

"I blame the metabolism on his powers." I point at Luffy, while eating the meat and mashed potatos off my plate.

"Smartass duck-man..." Zoro taunts.

I look over myself, frowning and wondering just how long do I plan to go around dress in nothing but my rain wear with sweatpants and thing T-shirt hiding beneath.

"I should probably get new clothes." I say, looking up at the others.

"Clothes?" a person speaks up. "Did someone say they need clothes?"

A chubby, short, and nearly balding man comes up to the table, a big smile on his face. Zoro and Luffy point to my direction and without any warning, I'm being hauled to my feet.

"W-wait! I don't have any money on me to pay you." I said, stopping the man.

"Don't worry about it! This is a way of thanks for saving the island from that monster Morgan."

"But I didn't do anything!"

"Liar!" Luffy laughs. "He helped out a bunch! Give 'im your best quality, ojii-san!"

"Will do, sir," the old man responds, dragging me off.

"Ah, don't wait up for me!" I tell the others before I disappear.

Some time later I'm inside a building known as Booney's Clothes Store. It's big, cool, and has enough shade from the hot sun above with numerous exotic clothes littered around here and there. All kinds from shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, socks, underwear, and shoes, too. This is probably something my mom would be liking to shop around, even women in this island would like to spend time in here while dragging their reluctant husbands or bored children.

"Here you go! Try these on!" Mr. Booney, the store owner, shoved a pile of clothes into my arms. "The best for the best!"

"You're too much, sir..." my voice is muffled from the large amount of clothes.

"Nonsense! There's a stall open for you, step right in... uh, _Mr_...?"

"Reuben."

"Mr. Reuben! Take whatever you like from in the stack that are fit for you size in your travel with your fellow pirate crew."

"I'm not really a pirate. I'm a fisherman that happens to be involved." I explain to the man from within the stall, stripping from my rain wear and sou'wester hat. "Say, can you tell me exactly where I am in the part of the ocean. I got lost and I really don't know where I am."

"You're in the East Blue, Mr. Reuben."

East Blue, a name mentioned by that other pirate Alvida. I was curious but I figured it was nothing but now I suppose it's something very important in these parts of the ocean.

"East Blue?"

"Are you somewhere from the other Blue's sir?"

"Not exactly. Can you tell me about that?"

"Well, I can tell you that you are in one of the four Blues; East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Blue. These waters are divided by the Grand Line AND the Red Line!"

Grand Line? Red Line? And those Blues... Jesus, where did I land myself into? Is this some weird part of the ocean where the people have weird hair, names, and mixed culture that they refer to the world with names that they come up with?

"Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking. You don't sound familiar with everything around you."

"I'm from Dulesday Beach, Virginia." I reply, pulling on a white wife beater.

"Virginia...? That name sounds like an island of virgins! _Wuahahaha_!"

"What?" I blurt, embarrassed. "No way! And it's not an island! It's a continent!"

"A continent?"

"Yeah, you know, in America!"

"... America... I've never heard of an island called America..."

I step out of the stall, not caring about my undressed state. I stared at the man with a blank expression, wondering if he was just messing with me or... or if he's being for real.

"America. The United States of America? Texas the Lone Star state? New York the Big Apple? Washington D.C. the home of the White House where the President lives? That America!"

"U-uh, no sir... I've never heard of anything called any of those names..." Mr. Booney nervously shuffles on his feet.

"Do you know Mexico? Or South America? Greenland? Iceland? Hawaii? Europe or Russia?... Japan?"

"No,"

_Holy_ fucking _crap_... Where am I?

"Sir?"

"I'm... I'm just gonna finish up and go."

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Shell Town Docks }-¤-¤-¤-**

I sit on a cement fence just 3 feet high, my elbows on my knees and my hands clasped together in front of my lips. My eyes are trained on the ever flowing ocean that is moving constantly with the wind, the ocean just as blue and clear as I had first seen it since waking up in...

_'That's not possible, Rubes,'_ I swallow heavily in the steadily growing saliva in my mouth. _'You're fucking crazy for thinking of something like that! There's just no way!'_

But how could I explain all the impossible things that I've experienced in the whole day since I washed up on that show. How could I explain about the impossibilities of a fruit giving a person the power to stretch their arms like rubber or how there should be no gene affect for a person to be born with pink or green hair.

Because I couldn't.

That's the truth in this. I can't explain anything and everything since I broke the surface of the foreign water. My mind wandered to the others on the Monte Blanc ship, just wondering what they're doing and if they made it out okay from the storms. I wonder what dad would do when he finds that his son didn't come home from the fishing tour like he promised he would.

God, life sucked so bad right now for me.

"Hello~!" a head pops from above me.

"Huh?" I see Luffy's upside down face inches from my own. "Hey Luffy."

"Hah! I knew it was you!" the boy chuckles, leaning away to straighten out and walk around the wall to stand in front of me. "You were gone for a long time!"

"It was lucky we found you, we almost didn't recognize you if it wasn't for that yellow hat of yours." Zoro comes up from beside me, giving me a once over.

I look over myself once more. I'm dressed in the white wife beater, a black buttoned shirt with the long sleeves rolled to my elbows buttoned over it with some left undone to reveal some of the white shirt and my collar bone, dark blue jeans, and black ankle boots dress shoes tucked under the jeans. I looked like any average joe. But an average joe with style.

"Where's Coby?" I ask, getting up to follow them to the boat we used to come to this island.

"He's staying behind. This is his chance to become a marine." Luffy replied, untying the ropes.

"Well, it should get better for him here. I hope he finds what he's been looking for." I say, getting in the boat.

"L—Luffy!" we hear from behind us.

"Coby," Luffy, Zoro, and myself look at him with surprise.

"Thank you so much! I'll _never_ forget this!" Coby saluted us.

"Huh, I've never seen a marine salute a pirate before." Zoro huffs with a smile on his face.

I laugh and Luffy waves at Coby with a smile of his own. "We'll meet again someday!"

"Group!" a marine officer that had come from behind Luffy appears. "_Salute_!"

We sailed away, waving our farewell to the pink-haired boy that dreamt to be a pirate while the rest of us followed a boy who dreamt to be a King of Pirates.

_'There's no mistake about this...'_ my smile faded, watching Luffy bother Zoro into joining his happy hollering.

I am... in another world.

**[... I'm sorry I can't see you...]**

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

Cutthroat Island - 1995 action adventure film directed by Renny Harlin. Female pirate Morgan Adams (Geena Davis) and her learned slave, William Shaw (Matthew Modine), are on a quest to recover the three portions of a treasure map. The treasure is hidden on a mysterious Cutthroat Island.

Ripley's Believe it or Not! - A franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that viewers might question the claims.

Mr. Fantastic - Reed Richards, A superhero from Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four. Richards gained the ability to stretch his body into any shape he desires from an incident during a space expidetion along with his other co-workers and later fellow comrades.

Zorro - A nobleman and master living in the Spanish colonial era of California. The typical image of him is a dashing black-clad masked outlaw who defends the people of the land against tyrannical officials and other villains. Not only is he much too cunning and foxlike for the bumbling authorities to catch, but he delights in publicly humiliating those same foes.

Clint Eastwood - The actor, Clint Eastwood, is sometimes best known for his western action films such as; A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966), Pale Rider (1985) and several more.

21 Jump Street - A 2012 action/comedy/cop film depicting two undercover cops masquerading as high school students starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. The quote is from a new extended red band trailer.


	4. Cirque du Freak

**A/N:** The last chapter is _LONG_ as hell! But I hope it's worth it for you guys to enjoy what goes on with getting to meet Luffy, Coby, and Zoro. I just wanted to do that whole introduction and getting the bounty hunter recruited done in one chapter. It better get me some good reviews or other wise that was just some troublesome work I had to go through. So now we get to the part we introduce a certain little cat burglar and some trouble-making circus folks, yes I know you are guessing the right thing; Buggy the Clown Arc!

An Original Character will be introduced here just for Reuben to fit in with the whole fighting fiasco because this is where at some point he is gonna have to fight sometime in the future, and this opportunity will be it. He's gonna have to learn how to fight sooner or later, might as well be right now, am I right? Also, I'd like four people who are really hard-core OP fans to become my co-authors, for reasons such as; good advice, what should or should not happen, and more info on the OP world because some things I'm still confused on. It would be great to have other people working with me on this! Enjoy and remember to read and review.

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 3 - Cirque du Freak***

**—**

"Well, this is just smashing." I sigh, waving my sou'wester as a sort of fan to cool me.

Another day at sea having dealt with Morgan and his evil doing ways, I'm still sailing with Luffy and Zoro, all of us bearing the heat of the sun coming down on us like eggs in the frying pan. And hungry. Let me just say that a hungry Luffy is much worse than dealing with some moody pregnant woman.

Total nightmare.

"_Waahhh_... Feed me..." Luffy whines, tugging my shirt. "So _hungry_...!"

"Stop it, begging isn't gonna make things better." I slap his hands away.

"You guys are pathetic." Zoro remarks from his place at the small mast, having awoken from his nap.

"Hey, Zoro," I sit up, facing the swordsman. "I just thought of this awesome sword technique you can use."

"Oh, you did?" Zoro sits up a little straighter, the 'sword technique' catching his interest. "What is it?"

"Yeah! It's called the _'stick-that-sword-up-your-ass'_ technique." I deadpanned.

The reaction is instant. The collar of my black buttoned shirt is clutched tightly in his fists and my forehead is slammed against his own so that I am staring at the white angry eyes with snarling fangs ready to use at biting my face off. I normally would've been scared but from the heat getting to my head with no shelter, I reply back to the assault by grabbing his white shirt and snarling back with my own pointy fangs, ready to brawl with this bastard.

"_Teme_! I'll make you eat those words!" he shakes me a little but I hold my ground.

"I dunno know what you just called me but bring it on, _lettuce-head_!" I clutch his shirt tighter.

_**Gurgle...**_

We slip away from each other, affected by the starvation as Luffy is. Still weak and getting worked up over some insults didn't help much either. After the excitement calms down somewhat, I feel the familiar tugging at the end of my shirt. Again.

"Huuunnngryyy~!" Luffy cries out once more, this time demanding and shaking me like I'm the one holding his food.

"Knock it off, Luffy!" I slap away his hands, getting riled up again.

"Hey, you're a fisherman, right? Do your job and catch some!"

"Do I or this stupid boat look like we have any equipment in catching any fish?" I tell him, waving my arms around to show there was nothing that could help us catch any fishes. "So until we come across land, you suck it up!"

A whine is the only response I receive from the needy brat.

"Don't you guys have any navigation skills at all?" Zoro looks between us two, looking agitated than before.

"I've just always been wandering," Luffy replies.

"I'm not familiar with these waters, and besides, I can only read a little of the stars for directions." I said before adding. "At night."

"Eh? You can read stars?" Luffy looks at me with wide eyes and curiosity before he tilts his head to one side. "... How does that work?"

"In old times, sailors use the stars for directions when they end up lost and just didn't know where to go."

"Hmph. Professor smartass," Zoro mutters from behind his hand he's using to lean against the rail of the boat.

I whirl around to face him, getting ticked off by this whole _'smartass'_ name calling he's so thrilled to get into. Well, if this guy liked to use his muscles, I'll stick to using my brain to show what he did and didn't know. "Okay wise-guy, how 'bout you? Do you know your way around the sea? Huh?"

"...!" like I knew he would, Zoro froze at the question of his own navigation skills.

I'll admit that I was gloating at the moment. "I didn't think so!"

"SHUT UP!" Zoro roars, his hand on the hilt of one of his three swords.

Not wanting to go through some intense maiming, I decided to change the subject. "So, what? You've just been wandering around like Luffy? And catching pirates for reward and all that jazz?"

Thankfully, the direction of the conversation lead away from violence and more into Zoro's living. "I don't recall saying I'm living it for the money. I was just looking for some man, that's why I left to sea. But now..."

Zoro seemed to have hesitated, and by the gesture from both Luffy and I at urging him to continue, he continued on with his story.

"I just can't find a way back home. So, I had no choice but to start hunting pirates for a living."

"Oh, you got lost, didn't you?" Luffy summarized the long story instantly. And he hit the nail on that because Zoro readily tried to defend himself.

"You shut up! You're just as lost!"

"You made yourself a bounty hunter and used the rewards as living expenses from eating and finding places to sleep. Right?" I gather the pieces, realizing what he's been actually doing.

"Yeah," he confirms and watches out for anything insulting I would say.

I stare at him for a few seconds before nodding. "That's actually pretty smart on your part."

I let out a inner sigh of relief when I spy him removing his hand from the handle of his sword. That was a close call!

"You can't obviously think that this little boat is going to make it to the Grand Line with just us three," Zoro glares at Luffy's direction. "You should find a crew mate that knows how to navigate and ditch this boat to find a real pirate ship!"

"... and someone who knows how to cook, and sing songs..." Luffy lists on with his fingers, sharing with me what possible future crew mates will be joining him while ignoring Zoro's wise words.

"BAKA! WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING?"

"Navigator, pirate ship, Grand Line. Got it." I check off the key words to Zoro's explaining.

"Hmph, at least I'm not completely surrounded by morons." the swordsman mutters.

"Don't start that again...!" I warn him with a snarl, glaring at him and just daring him to insult me one. More. TIME!

At that moment, Luffy shoots to his feet with his beady eyes straight towards the sky where he can see a few birds flying overhead. My mind is slowly processing the sight before it quickly clicks and the solution to our problem is answered before my eyes. I shot up from laying myself out on the boat, Zoro quirking a brow at my direction.

"Fellas, I think there's a chance to catch us some dinner."

Luffy looks at me with a sly grin. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes I am!" I grin back at him.

"What's going on...?" Zoro looks up, looking back and forth between me and Luffy.

"We're bringing in some fresh chicken!" I laugh back at him as Luffy stretches his arm and uses the boat's small mast as support.

"Gomu Gomu no... ROCKET!" Luffy shoots himself in the air, heading straight for the bird.

"What a crazy idea..." Zoro comments, watching Luffy reach for the bird.

"Hm?" I pause in my inner celebrating noticing that Luffy wasn't coming down. That, and the bird... "Is it just me, or is that bird a lot bigger than we thought it would be?"

"AAHHHH! HELP...!" came Luffy's cries to our ears.

"YOU IDIOT!" Zoro screams, he and I bug-eyed from the unpredictable trouble we caught ourselves in.

"_JESUS CHRIST_! LUFFY~!" I scream at the top of my lungs, my system in full panic-mode for the rubber brat.

Me and Zoro grab onto the oars and rowed the small boat like crazy after the giant bird flying away with Luffy's head clutched in it's beak, screaming and shouting profanities at each other and Luffy. A cry at sea made the shouting matches come to a halt and we both look over our shoulders to see three men swimming and waving their arms like crazy.

"Shit, we better help them." I tell Zoro.

"Fine! Hey, you lot! We can't stop but you better latch onto this or else you'll be left behind either way!" Zoro shouts to the three men.

I wanted to slap his head for thinking that way but my hands were to busy rowing the boat, we speed on by but the three men thankfully caught the edges of the boat with little difficulty and climbed on aboard. I look back for Luffy while Zoro deals with the three men that are shaken up from almost being ran over by us, I squint my eyes seeing the rubber brat becoming a small speck in my line of vision.

"Hey, hey! We're losing him!" I point out and Zoro curses under his breath.

"Crap! Row faster!"

"_That's what I'm doing_!"

"Hey, you two!" one of the men—a guy with a jolly roger beanie—unsheathes his swords and points it towards us in a threatening manner. "Stop this boat, you're crossing Buggy-sama's territory!"

"Say what?" Zoro and I growl out, glaring at the ungrateful bastard.

Not 5 minutes later, me and Zoro are sitting comfortably and watching the three pirates do the fast rowing for us after a smack-down. I normally wouldn't have participated, but the hot down was sure making me very edgy and itching for a fight, and this time I wanted to let out all the negative energy by punching some faces in. And these guys were the perfect human punching-bags anyone can really ask for. Although I have to admit I was lucky that Zoro was the back up because I really couldn't have taken on these three by myself.

"Thanks to you crackpots, we just lost sight of our friend." I point at the sky to show that Luffy was no longer in anyone's view. "So get to rowing!"

"If we don't find him then you guys are going to be more in a world of pain..." Zoro adds in, watching the three like a hawk.

"S-so sorry, we didn't know you were the _'Pirate Hunter'_ Roronoa Zoro and his friend, please forgive us..." beanie-head apologizes with the big guy and lanky man nodding along.

"Okay Moe, Larry, and Curly***** answer me this," I nod to the ocean. "What were you doing swimming around in open water?"

"Ah! I'm glad you asked! There was this_ girl_—"

"A _bad_ girl!" one cuts in.

"A very _cute_ bad girl!" the big guy adds, a blush on his face.

While beanie-head went on to pummel the large man for thinking that sort of way for the person that put them into so much trouble, the other pirate went on to explain how they ended up as they were. A girl appeared on a small boat seeming dehydrated and offered up her treasure chest in exchange for food and water, the three idiots climbed on aboard her boat and opened the chest for the valuables hidden inside but found themselves duped and the girl sailing off with their much larger boat and treasure they've stolen from a vessel. And to add to the fact that they were originally found in the sea without any boat, the girl made a weird weather prediction on the dot, a small maelstrom capsizing their boat and it sinked to the bottom of the ocean.

"Hmmm," I hum to myself in thought and Zoro gave me a sideways glance.

"What is it?"

"I'm just thinking. This girl knew the weather and the outcome of it, right?" I look to the three pirates.

"Yes, sir!" they vigorously nodded.

"Maybe she can be recruited as a possible navigator." I tell Zoro, voicing my opinion. "She knew the weather, from which direction and which way to avoid it, she's mostly likely a skilled navigator."

"Well, we better find Luffy first before we think about taking a look for this weather girl." Zoro said and returned his eyes back to the pirates.

"Ugh! If I ever see that girl, I'll kill her with my own bare hands!" one growled to himself, rowing the boat with some ferocity.

"Baka! First we need to get the loot back!" beanie-head smacks the back of the guy's head.

"Yeah," the big one agrees, gulping nervously as his eyes shifted in a far away look. "You know what Buggy-sama is like if we came back empty-handed!"

"Who's Buggy?" Zoro and I ask.

The three share a gawking look at us. "You don't know?"

"No, we just like to ask really stupid questions." I sarcastically reply and rolled my eyes at the trio.

"He's our captain, also known as_ 'Buggy the Clown'_! He's a dangerous man who ate the sacred Devil Fruit!"

"Wait... Did you say Devil Fruit?" I ask, leaning in. "Can he stretch out his arms like rubber, too?"

"Rubber? No!" the big man shakes his head. "Nothing like that!"

"Huh? How does this Devil Fruit thing work then?" I demand, getting confused even more. "Don't they give you powers if you eat them?"

"Ah, so you're completely new to this, right?" beanie-head asks, catching onto my problem from my knowledge of the Devil Fruits, or lack thereof. "Most people don't know of course since they consider it a story. The legendary Devil Fruits are said to have been the Sea Devil's incarnations. If you eat one, you'll gain a unique ability but at one price; _you'll never be able to swim again_."

Another answer as to why Luffy didn't go into the sea when I was blindly swimming around, and it was a theory that maybe he was just too lazy to get in and decided to use his powers to get by things much faster.

"So every person who eats a Devil Fruit gets some sort of power but for the equivalent price of not being able to swim? What, they just simply drown?"

"Yes. The sea rejects the Devil Fruit so anyone under the influence of having eaten one is affected by all times of water,"

"Does it include the rain?"

"No, just standing water like in the sea, a pool or river. It can even be a bit dangerous when bathing as well."

"Huh," Zoro huffs, folding his arms and taking all the information in. "Devil Fruits... what a troublesome curse."

"No kidding!" I agreed with him.

Another some 20 minutes later we all reach an island with some hunch coming over me that Luffy might be here given that the stupid bird probably got sick of holding Luffy for such a long amount of time. We reach the dock and park the boat, while the three Buggy pirates are squabbling about what to do when they meet their own fierce unforgiving captain, I walk up to Zoro from behind when I take notice of his disturbing silence.

"What's up?" I ask him under my breath, coming to stand beside him.

"It's really quiet here," he points to the town. "Too quiet."

I look around, noticing the lack of people, noise, and life in it. "Some ghost town. Where is everyone?"

"Ah, the truth is, Buggy is raiding the village at the moment, so..._ heh heh heh_!" the big guy chuckles like it's some sad attempt of joking around.

"Well then," I sigh and take another look around and then turn to my companion. "We better get to finding Luffy, no?"

"Lets go meet this Buggy guy." Zoro says, leading the way.

"And why would you wanna do that?" I call after his back, not following him.

He stops and looks back at me. "Doesn't Luffy strike you the kind of guy who's a magnet for trouble?"

...

"Your right, he's definitely at Buggy's HQ!" I agree, walking side-by-side with the green-haired swordsman.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Drinker's Pub Rooftop }-¤-¤-¤-**

Luffy struggled, concentrating on the one thing that mattered most in the moment whilst being surrounded by enemy circus-theme pirates and their leader celebrating for the pirate thief Nami as his new subordinate. It was hard, snaking his way through but he finally reached the goal; the dinner table!

_'C'mon, just a little more...!'_ he stretched his limb more for the delicious meat just waiting to be eaten.

Oh his mouth watered at the sight of the unattended meat, like these dummies were just begging him to take what was theirs in the open, and Monkey D. Luffy wasn't going to let them down on that. But alas, the stretched limb could no longer hold out and whipped back to Luffy, slamming him from the back and making the poor boy slam at the other end of the small spaced cage he got himself locked into thanks to that orangette.

"Damn! And I was so close, too...!" he whined, nibbling the bar of the cage.

"Hmph, aren't you looking shabby..." an amused tone comes from above and Luffy directed his eyes from the table and towards the cause of his problem.

"Ah, Nami!" Luffy sat up straight, looking at the girl with wide hopeful eyes. "Are you gonna feed me?"

"No way," she deadpans, breaking the poor boy's hope of being feed delicious red meat.

"That's mean!"

"Anyway," the girl continues, looking over her shoulder quickly to see if anyone would be eavesdropping. "I'll wait for these fools to get drunk enough to pass out and I'll help you escape. After all, I have nothing against you..."

"Why don't you just open it right now?"

"_BWAHAHAHAHA_~! You sure picked the wrong person to have you following you, Thief Boss!" a figure looms over the two teens.

A blue-haired man wearing a typical pirate hat over his head and his face with blue and red make-up, and a big and very read red nose being the only thing that really stood out on his face. He dressed himself in a striped shirt with a large coat hanging off his shoulders like a cape, a green sash to hold up his light green baggy pants, followed with striped socks and pointy boots. His appearance of a clown lived up to his epithet; Buggy the Clown!

"She's not my follower." Luffy said, ignoring Nami's panic-stricken face.

"Hah! You're just saying that because you've been betrayed!" Buggy cackles, leaning on the top of the cage yet maintaining eye-contact with the little turd inside the cage, still tied up and unmoving. "Even though I got my map back from you, I still think a punishment is in order for you. You're fate has been decided!"

"You're gonna let me go?" Luffy grins, looking once more hopeful.

"Yeah I'm gonna let you go..." Buggy agrees nonchalantly, sipping a drink from his beer mug and it was until a few seconds later that the words registered and he spat out the liquid. "_LIKE HELL I AM! DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID_?"

Without a word, Buggy whips around to face his fellow party going crew mates, a malicious grin appearing on his thick red lips.

"Boys! Prepare the_ 'Special Buggy Ball'_ right now!"

The crew roared in excitement. "YEEAAAHH!"

Luffy and Nami watch a few men carry out a huge and heavy cannon, directing it towards a long line of houses, one small pirate of the crew carries a big red cannon with the Buggy Pirate symbol printed on the surface. The ball is rolled inside, the silence allowing the sound of the ball rolling farther and deeper into the barrel of the cannon until it comes to a loud stop.

"Show them...! Show them the power of the Buggy Ball!"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Orange Town Streets }-¤-¤-¤-**

"This is just creepy," I sigh out loud, looking back and forth to see if I can spot any signs of life. "Not a single person in sight."

"You heard those guys, didn't you?" Zoro thumbs at the direction behind them. "This Buggy guy is here and raiding, so it only makes sense that they all fled elsewhere to stay clear from trouble."

"I know, it's just something that's bugging me." I pause in step, making Zoro stop as well.

"What is it?"

"Heh! Buggy is bugging me!" I laugh, which earns me a quick slap behind the head. "OW!"

"You're starting to sound like Luffy, you idiot!" he shouts in my ear. "I don't need another one of those!"

"Quit your bitchin', you green pea!" I shout.

"What'd you call me?" he screeched back.

Again we found ourselves where both of us are tugging at the other's shirt roughly, ready to start throwing punches for the next words going to come out of our wide sharp mouths (I just love it when they make those faces!). Suddenly...

**_BOOOM!_**

A bright light exploded into our vision, making us both wince from the flash and surprise before the reaction came. I push Zoro with me to duck into some open alley and just in time when a sudden gust of strong wind blows by from the pressure of the explosion. We shielded our heads and listened for the loud noise of everything breaking, tearing, destroying, colliding and all sorts of things that only ended in one result; destruction. It took a while for it to slowly calm down and I look up, thankful that Zoro appeared to be okay before I turn to face what we just nearly went up against.

"H-holy...!" hearing my stuttering, Zoro whips his head up from his arms and he too is astonished at what he sees.

A long row of the large houses we, not long ago, walked by are now in shambles and just completely unrecognizable. I slowly stand up on my own feet, refusing to leave from the alley but I knew that still wouldn't help any if there would be another explosion like that coming in our direction.

"What the FUCK was that?" I demand, looking back to Zoro for help.

"I don't know but we better move fast and try not to get hit."

"How the _fuck_ are we suppose to do that when we don't even know where the _fuck_ it came from?" I snap, still shaken from the near death experience of being blown away. I let out a shaky sigh and lean against the house, my head rolling back to see the blue sky rolling by. "Oh my God, what did I get myself into?"

"You could've stayed at the boat and I would've found Luffy by myself!"

"Well too late for that, don't ya think?" I growl, grinding my teeth and tugging at the edges of my sou'wester.

"I think I know a way out of this problem," Zoro points up to the roof.

I stand straight up and look at the roof before I nod in agreement that we had a better chance at seeing the explosion and maybe try and evade it should it come again. We look for anything to start our climb up and eventually find a water drain that seemed to hold our weight but we didn't take any chances of it breaking if we both climbed up at the same time and instead went up one at a time.

I'm up on the roof first, taking a look around to see where the source of the explosion may be from since the bright light made it nearly impossible to track it.

"See anything?" Zoro calls from below as he's about to reach the edges of the roof.

"No! Not yet." I reply, crouching down and grabbing his hand so I can help haul him up on the roof, now joining me. "This Buggy guy we're looking for better be worth the trouble in finding Luffy."

"Hey, hey! Do you hear that?" Zoro shushes me, listening in for the sound somewhere in the wind.

I silently listen as well, searching for whatever he's caught and soon enough I catch some faint shouting. "... Is that a cheering I hear?"

"Yeah,"

"I got a bad feeling about this..." I tell him.

"No kidding!"

"Lets go!" I order and get up, beginning to tread on the rooftops and hop over gaps between the houses with Zoro following me from beside me as we listen and follow the source of the cheering.

The closer we got, the more louder it grew for us to find the location of the source where it most likely would be the base where Buggy the Clown is. And suddenly there was an uproar, no longer the kind of cheering but the kind of battle cry and I can only guess that something that had started out fun and exciting turned serious and dangerous. I climb over one steep roof and look in time to see an orange-haired girl (another weird hair color!) behind a large cannon that no doubt was used to shoot out those dangerous explosions me and Zoro barely got away from. And in front of the large cannon is—

"I see Luffy!" I point out when Zoro comes to my side.

"What the hell is going on...?" he mutters under his breath, brow furrowed.

I spot other clown-esque pirates running to attack the girl with their knives and daggers, Luffy shouting in warning for the orange-haired girl about to have her back stabbed, literally..

"Zoro! Do something, man!" I shout, pointing at the incoming attack on the vulnerable girl.

"On it!" he quickly answers before dashing down the roof and onto the next rooftop to stop them with from attacking the girl.

I quickly follow after him, jumping the gap and reaching to crouch next to the small cage where Luffy is hold up inside with ropes tied around his chest and arms, making him mostly immobile.

"Hi, Luffy," I greet him.

"Reuben! Zoro! You guys came!" Luffy looked like a little kid getting the biggest birthday gift ever.

"How'd you end up like this?" I ask him and gesture the cage and ropes.

"It's a pretty long story, shishishi! That dumb bird flew me over this town and that girl Nami—" I cut the rubber brat off his storytelling.

"Later, we gotta get out this first!" I say, standing up to face our enemies.

"And you were the one who encouraged him to get us into this mess!" Zoro hisses back at me, looking very calm of the situation. I can only guess that in his bounty hunting career that this was just normal.

"How was I suppose to know that the dinner Luffy was gonna catch ended up having him for dinner instead?" I defend myself.

"Still...!" Zoro insisted.

"Dude, just let it go!"

"You..." a blue-haired, red-nosed clown appears and I have my money that this was the one everyone was talking about; Buggy. "You're Roronoa Zoro the Pirate Hunter. Have you come for me?"

"No, I'm not interested." Zoro brushes him off. "I gave that job up a while ago."

"But I'm interested!" Buggy whips out a few daggers he holds between his white gloved fingers and a single dagger in his other. "If I kill you right now, then my name will become more notorious!"

"Back off if you don't want to die." came a deadly warning from Zoro, hands on his swords.

The crowd around us cheered for blood, I barely register the girl—Nami, wasn't it?—standing just a few feet behind me. Buggy brandished his weapons and licked one daggers edge, looking less like the loveable circus clown kids loved and more like It*.

"You better be prepared or else I'll cut you to ribbons!" Buggy cackles, preparing to attack.

The words of the three pirates from earlier haunted back into my mind, reminding me of the Devil Fruit lecture and what powers they could be, I look back and to my horror I see Zoro unsheathing his swords.

"No, stop!" I shout at Zoro's back.

"DIE~!" Buggy cries as he lunges.

"You asked for it...!" Zoro whips out his sword.

"_NO_!" I shout once more.

I stop cold, my heart felt like it stopped, dropped, and rolled away from my chest. My stomach twisted and turned but there was nothing inside to actually heave out through my mouth or nose. It still made me sick to see. Ahead of me, Buggy's body is sliced through so easily like a knife cutting through veggies and fruits. His arm, his mid-section, his thigh were just cut cleanly off from their original spot and I still have yet to see the blood.

"Oh my God...!" I barely register that it was Nami saying that.

"Wow. That guy was weak!" came Luffy's voice. Not at all affected by this horrific sight.

Here I am, standing on some roof surrounded by a bunch of circus pirates—who are _giggling_?—with a front row ticket of watching a human being kill another human being. And first human being is the same person who I helped from another island and got in the same boat with. The same human being I laughed, joked, and argued with. The same human being...

"You killed him..." I whisper so lowly I thought no one heard me.

"I told him to back off. Huh, he died real easily." Zoro grimaces, sheathing away his weapons.

"You killed him."

"Uh, yeah. I mean, he was gonna try and do the same." Zoro sarcastically replied back, look over to the cackling crowd. "What is up with these guys? I just killed their leader."

"You _killed_ him!" I ground out, at the end of my nerves.

"Yes! I killed that freak bastard!" Zoro bites out, glaring at me. "So what?"

In two easy strides, my hands roughly grab him by the front of his shirt. I've done so many times when we got into our squabbling but this... this was different. This was no friend I took in my grip. This was a human being that took another's life with no remorse or mercy.

"YOU_ SON OF A BITCH_!" I scream at him, shaking his bewildered face. "_WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU_?"

"H-hey! Stop it!" I hear the girl behind us say, trying to ease the situation.

"He's was going to attack, Reuben!" Zoro grabs onto my wrists but I still didn't let go.

"How could you, you sick fuck! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL HIM!" I scream some more, suddenly feeling like I lost the ability to breathe at all. "ANYTHING ELSE BUT THIS! _NOT LIKE THIS_!"

"You..." Zoro's eyes widen in slow shock.

I could barely feel the tears coming down my face, too busy staring down at the green-haired killer with my own two fearful eyes and my mind thinking how close I myself may have been killed by this man.

I was on that boat with him! A whole day and a half, I was sharing the same floating piece of wood talking to him like he was actually... Like he was just some weird green-haired dreamer that just happened to be real good behind the sword. That fight with Morgan, it should have clued me in yet I was foolish enough to turn a blind eye and let him come this close.

It's surprising how much us humans can hide ourselves, the darker part that holds the ugly and terrifying truth that repulses so many others.

"Reuben, let go..." Zoro calmly said, hands still on my wrists.

"Or what?" I mock him and my lips are suddenly forming a shaking smile. "You gonna_ kill_ me, too?"

"REUBEN!" I hear Luffy shout angrily from behind me. "_STOP IT_!"

"Well?" I shake Zoro again, wanting to agitate him. "Are you gonna take that and rip through me? Huh?"

Zoro's hands tighten around my wrists, his face hard and his eyes locked onto mine.

"REUBEN!"

"_GO AHEAD AND TRY IT_!"

**_STAB!_**

Zoro blinked for a moment, and slowly it dragged into pain. I wasn't grabbing him to hard and it was only on his shirt, so how the hell should he be in pain? In fact, I should be the one in pain considering how hard he was just holding my wrists. That's when the smell comes to my nose, the familiar scent of intense copper that can only be one thing; blood.

And it wasn't blood from the body.

Simultaneously, Zoro and I look down until we reach for the one thing that's definitely not suppose to be there to begin with; a sharp dagger protruding through Zoro's side just below his lung. Rich red blood sipping through his green sash and staining the fabrics and we both can't help but just stare at the damn thing, wondering if this was real or just some kind of trick of the eye.

"Guhk!" Zoro coughs, falling forward.

Without any hesitation, I grab him to hold his body up and I'm again left horrified to see a single gloved hand, the same one that was cut off but Zoro, still holding the single blade that's stabbed deep through Zoro's back.

"What the hell...?"

"ZORO!" Luffy shouts, shocked of the sudden attack just as I, the girl, and Zoro are.

And the crowd is laughing, laughing, and laughing.

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

Cirque du Freak - The Saga of Darren Shan of 12 books about the struggle of a boy who has become involved in the world of vampires.

Moe, Larry, and Curly - The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe, Larry, and Shemp," among other lineups.

It - Stephen King's IT; The story revolves around an inter-dimensional predatory life-form that is simply referred to as "It", which has the ability to transform itself into its prey's worst fears allowing it to exploit the fears and phobias of its victims, while also disguising itself when hunting. "It" mostly takes the form of a sadistic, wisecracking clown called "Pennywise the Dancing Clown", which it uses to lure children and kill them.


	5. At the Big Top

**A/N:** The last chapter was of Zoro getting stabbed by this severed hand and the circus pirates just laughing their asses off. Wow, I can't believe the many positive reviews I got from the last chapter, mostly on the reaction of Reuben's point of view with Zoro going in for the kill. I had said before that I wanted to make a good _"OC falling in OP"_ fic, and it includes the slow build in my character's path to becoming a stronger person if he plans to survive and travel far in the One Piece world.

Honestly all I read in other fics is the OC's lack of reaction when in the middle of a violent situation. Even if the OC happens to be some sort of fan of the manga, they should still have a reaction to death because they're going through it for real, not behind the safety of a television screen or black and white manga pages. Alrighty then, enough of the talking and more to the reading, please remember to review this! I love your support!

**p.s.** I got me my first co-author; Drago pirate! Three more to go!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 4 - At the Big Top**

**—**

"W-what...?" I whimper out as the blood gushes out. "What's happening?"

The crowd of Buggy's pirate crew are still laughing wildly and madly, pointing fingers at both me and Zoro like we are something of great big spectacle to earn a huge laugh out loud on. I look down at the green-haired swordsman and for a quick moment my mind flashes back to the picture of a vicious man slicing through a person without any effort or care. I let go of him, letting him crumple to the ground in pain and nursing his wound whilst I make some space between us, no longer wanting to be close to that..._ that killer_...!

"Zoro!" Luffy cries out and struggles furiously against his bindings.

The blade removes itself and the hand floats in mid-air, I continue to watch with fascinated horror as the bloodied dagger is still in the clutch of the severed gloved hand that still had yet to bleed out like any cut off limb. I can't believe what I'm seeing right in front of me! That's the same hand that Buggy—

"You like it?" a cackling voice reaches our ears. "It's called the Bara Bara Fruit!"

Sensing something behind me, I turn around to face Buggy, still alive and still breathing. His dismembered limbs floating and coming to right themselves in their original spots before placing them back as they were. Not a mark to show that they were sliced clean off to begin with.

"No matter how many times you slice me, you can never kill me! For I am a SECTIONED-MAN! GYAHAHAHAA~!"

"A s-sectioned-man...?" I whisper to myself.

"I may have missed your vital organs, Roronoa Zoro, but this victory is mine! GYAHAHAHA!"

"Kill them, Captain Buggy!"

"Do it! Do it! Do it!"

"Let him have it!"

Zoro continued to struggle to hold himself straight but the blood gushing out of him continued on non-stop, it would only be a matter of time before he dies from severe blood loss. One moment the man is dead from Zoro's attacks and then he comes back to life because of his Devil Fruit powers that allowed him to be piece himself back together after being sliced apart! It's just crazy! This world is nothing but crazy since day one!

_'Why am I here? Why am I still alive and in this place?'_ I question myself, my heart beating frantically against my chest. _'Oh God, why is this happening?'_

"HEY, BIG NOSE!" Luffy's loud voice startles me. "STABBING FROM BEHIND IS DIRTY!"

Nami and the Buggy crew gawked at Luffy's insult, but why? I look over to the man in question and I got my answer immediately. Buggy looked stuck in the decisions in fainting or going on a killing spree. A second later, Buggy aims the same hand he used to stab Zoro with and it went flying off without having to be cut off.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BIG NOSE?" the furious pirate clown demands.

"LUFFY!" Zoro yells out and watches the flying limb dart quickly to the strawhat rubber brat.

"Luffy!" I shout in panic and the boy froze as the dagger hit the mark. "No! LUFFY!"

To ours, and even Buggy's surprise, Luffy lifts his head where stuck between his grinning teeth is the now shattered dagger, completely destroyed from the strength of Luffy's jaws. I let out a shaky sigh, relieved of the lack of bloodshed.

"I swear, I'm gonna take you down!" Luffy boldly vows to his enemy.

Buggy pauses, lets the words sink in before a slow cruel smile comes over his redden lips. A boast of that strange laugh coming out and he turns his attention to Nami, Zoro, and myself.

"_You_? You mean you and your three little friends take on my WHOLE pirate fleet? HA!"

Oddly enough, I can see the reason why he would laugh at us. In fact, I wouldn't blame at all if he began to laugh like crazy, he had every right to do so when it was just us four against who knew how many.

"All I see is a little traitorous thief, a wounded swordsman, and—" I flinch when he points his finger at me and I can see that smile widen at my obvious fear, relishing it. "—a crying coward!"

That bastard... Seeing those sort of things didn't make me a coward!... Did it?

"You four have no chance in winning this fight! In fact you all will die right here and now!" Luffy only laughed it off, goading the man to do something. "How do you plan to take me on like this? You fools! Gyahahahaa~!"

_'Shit...'_ I feel my chest tighten, sweat pouring out of me, and my lungs losing the will to breathe in and out._ 'I'm gonna die!'_

I'm gonna die!

...

I'm gonna die!

...!

I'M GONNA DIE!

"REUBEN!"

**BoOoM!**

A rough hand grabs me from my wrist, and it's from the touch that I realize I'm surrounded in clouds of smoke from a cannon being fired off and I just missed what had happen when I was inside my own dark despair. With the fear coming over me like a heavy weight, I fight against the hold on me that surprisingly slipped away and run wildly through the smoke, avoiding the dark shadows hidden within. My panic-induced state making me ignorant of everything around me, just the one thing repeating over my head; survive or die! I just wanted, more than anything, was to get far and farther away from everything and everyone in this crazy world I awoken in. I wanted to get out of this place that made no sense to me, I wanted to find home where mama and dad are waiting for me!

I scream out loud like that time when Luffy found me in the ocean sea, running and running until my legs felt like they were turning into glue. I didn't realized I tripped over some debris of a house that had been destroyed from Buggy's cannon, all I knew is the darkness that claimed my mind.

* * *

><p>"Ugh..." I slowly come to my senses, looking around to find I'm surrounded by some houses that still have yet to have been destroyed by Buggy's cannons. "Shit."<p>

I slowly pull myself up, wobbling a little from the slight unbalance. I look around once more and thankfully it's deserted of those insane juggalos***** but I didn't want to take any chances and started to trek through the streets, hoping to find the docks where I can leave this island and leave behind these people.

It's crazy, I thought I figured that Zoro guy out, but I was wrong. Very wrong. And Luffy... Luffy just encouraged it. Those two, Zoro especially; they're both monsters.

"Screw my life," I bitterly say to myself, feeling so pathetic with the tears coming over me again. "Screw my life."

"Hey, you," a feel a tap on my shoulder.

Surprised, I whirl around so quickly it also surprised the person behind me. I give the person a long look and realize who it is; the thief, Nami. Short orange hair, white blouse with a few blue stripes, a short orange skirt with white circles imprinted on the sides, and a low cut high-heel brown boots. Her chocolate eyes look over me suspiciously but it disappears once it settles on my eyes, it takes me a quick few seconds to realize why she looked at me so sadly; I'm still crying.

I quickly wipe away the tears, clearing my nostrils from the icky feeling of it getting stuffed.

"What do you want?" I choke out, my voice cracked from the screaming and lack of breath.

"Nothing. It's just, you really ran off without those people you were with and—" she pauses, looking at me very carefully. "They were worried about you."

_'What?'_

My expression must of told her what I was thinking because she continued on with her eyes facing another direction.

"The boy, Luffy, he called your name so many times and banged against the cage like he wanted to go after you himself. And Zoro... well, he didn't say anything, but he had this look... Hey! Where are you going?" she stops her story, realizing that I'm walking away from her.

"I'm leaving! I'm getting the hell outta here!" I tell her, frantically looking for a dock now. "Where is it? Where are the boats?"

"They're in the other direction," she points behind her, and I can see the smoke still rising from where Buggy's base is. "And I don't think we'll be going over there anytime soon. They're pirates but they're smart. They've got people waiting to ambush us if we tried to get to the boats."

"Dammit!" I curse and kick some random pebble. "Now what?"

"We could go and find your friends, they seem like—"

"No!" I stop her from finishing those last words. "Screw them! I'm not gonna run back to those bastards!"

"What?" she snaps, glaring at me now. "Why not? Don't you care about your friends? They were worried and you go and say something like that?"

"Them? Friends? One of them just killed a person right in front me!" I shout back at her in retaliation, startling her.

"It was scary, I know, but that clown was going to kill us!" Nami defended, her hands clenched to her sides.

I point back to the direction of Buggy's base. "He just_ butchered_ Krusty the Clown***** like it was nothing! Didn't you see his face? He felt NOTHING FOR WHAT HE DID!"

I pull away, turning my back on her so I can rest my hands on my knees and feel the trembles come over me. My mind still replaying endlessly on the scene of Zoro cutting through Buggy with those dark eyes of his. I hear her sigh quietly from behind me, I wouldn't be surprised if she ran off yet she still remained by my side, waiting for me it seemed.

"What are you going to do?" she asks me.

"First of all, I'm gonna get the hell off this island." I reply, standing back up and starting my walk through the alleys and empty streets.

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I'll figure it out once I cross that bridge." I say back to her, almost reaching the other side of an alley.

"Do you even know you're way around this place?"

"Look, little girl!" I snapped and turn to face her after I leave the mouth of the alley. "I don't really know what's next until I face it, I just figure things out as they go! And that means until I cross that bridge! Got it?"

"Hey, Reuben!" a sickeningly familiar voice reaches my ears.

Slowly, Nami and I turn to the left where Luffy, still stuck in his cage but now unbound by the ropes, is looking at me with relief and Zoro, still bleeding out, is resting against some wooden column of a building. One look at Zoro and my legs twitch for the chance to run, my heart beating harshly against my ribs from the panic.

"You ran away, you idiot!" Luffy shouts at me, his face twisted in anger. "Why didn't you hear me?"

I took a step back, ready to rabbit.

"Oi! Are you even listening to me?" he demands, banging against his cage.

"Leave him alone, Luffy!" Nami snaps, glaring at him. "Can't you even understand just a little about his feelings?"

Nami boldly stands in front of me, glaring at the other two teens and the air is full of tension in us all. The events of what occurred on that rooftop coming over our heads like a bad dream. I barely register the sound of a small metal clanking against the cobblestones at our feet, looking over Nami's shoulder to see a small key land in front of Luffy's cage.

"You know if you two sit around like that those pirates will find you." Nami nods her head to the keys. "I took them when no one was looking. I'm just paying back a debt for saving my life is all, so don't think much of it, alright?"

"Shishishi! You're a really nice person, my navigator!" Luffy laughs.

"_Says who_?" Nami growls, her eyes white from the anger and mouth full of fangs.

"Heh! Finally our troubles erased!" Zoro chuckles.

The celebration is short-lived as a white long-faced dog I've never noticed until now steps forward and swallows the key whole, leaving most of everyone left speechless and in horror. Luffy suddenly has the dog in his clutches, strangling it with ferocity as he demands the dog to throw the only key to freedom back up.

"You stupid dog! _THAT WASN'T FOOD_!" Luffy turns to me. "Hey! Do something!"

I remain like a statue, staring down at the trapped rubber man. Nami and Zoro look at me, watching me for what I would do next. My eyes trail from Luffy to Zoro, our eyes locked together and his tired face turns into stone. I look away just as quickly from the fear seeping through, turning around and walking another direction, away from them all.

I didn't go far, however, because I abruptly stopped before I can run into an old bespectacled man wearing armor and a spear tied behind his back. He looked surprised just as I was, and then his eyes turned to Luffy where he immediately starts to yell.

"Leave Shushu alone, you brat!" he scolds Luffy.

I watch the old man go over to Luffy to pry his fingers off the white dog whilst grumbling how crazy and mean youngster are being now these days, it made me wonder if he even had a clue at what was going on in this town but the armor and spear told me much of his awareness. It's then that he takes a good look at us four, noticing are battered—and caged—appearance. His old eyes zeroing in on Zoro.

"My goodness! What happened?" he asks, kneeling by Zoro's side.

"I've been through better days—"

"As if! Here, let me help you!" the old man lifts Zoro's arm and my stomach feels queasy from thoughts of what Zoro could do to that old man in that close range. "You there, young man! Help me carry this kid."

It takes a few seconds for me to realize he's talking to me. My mouth goes dry, my heart skipping a beat, my legs twitching to run like crazy. I couldn't...! I couldn't go near him!

"What are you standing there for? Help me, this is serious!"

I take a step back, not daring to come close to that man whose eyes shown nothing...

"Old man..." Zoro begins, but is silenced when Nami comes to his side instead.

"Lead the way, mister." Nami says, looking at the baffled two men.

"Er, right, this way."

I step back, letting them pass and I not once lift my eyes to look at them but I know I can feel his eyes on me. Just as I can feel Luffy's eyes look at me as well. There is nothing but awkward silence between me and him, I can detect the faint sound of a small commotion inside that old man's house.

"You've never seen a person die, right?"

I whip my head towards him so fast it almost felt like it would break off. Luffy stares at my face unblinking, taking in every detail of my distress.

"Is that why you didn't listen to me? Or when Zoro grabbed you when you weren't moving that time?"

So he was the one that had my wrist in the whole confusion. I unconsciously rub the spot where he grabs me, like wanting to wipe away the taint or dirtiness he may have passed onto me for that brief moment.

"Is that why you're scared of Zoro?"

I still didn't answer him.

"Okay then," he said, sitting in a criss-cross fashion on. "I got it now."

I don't care what he's thinking. I just cared about leaving.

The old man and Nami appear, exiting the house without Zoro to accompany them and I can only guess he's just resting up in there.

"How is he, ojii-san?" Luffy asks.

"I tell that fool there's a doctor at the shelter but he just said he'll sleep it off. Hmph! Kids these days are getting cocky..." the old man shakes his head. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Boodle and I am the chief of this village."

The hairstyle on him surely made him fit the name of a certain dog.

"I'm Luffy, nice to meet you!" Luffy greets politely.

"I'm Nami." she introduces herself after.

I remain silent, looking at the dog that is munching on some food provided by Boodle.

"Is this your dog?" I ask instead.

"Shushu? No, not mine." Boodle shakes his head and crouches over so he can pet the dog. "He belongs to a friend of mine who owned the pet food shop. Shushu here is gaurding this place."

I look up at the store and take notice that it is indeed a pet food shop with big red letters saying it is so. I look back down at the dog and notice the small cuts decorated on his fur.

"Where is his owner?" Nami asks and looks over to Boodle. "It's insane to make his own pet dog guard the shop when there's pirates parading around."

"He's dead, isn't he?"

Nami, Luffy, and Boodle look back to the source of the voice. I crouch in front of Shushu and the white dog looks up to me with those dark eyes of his, watching me carefully and I slowly reach my hands out to him until they come to tickle against the underside of his jaw and slowly behind his floppy ears. My fingers slowly rub his the back of his ears but it doesn't cause him to whine in ecstasy as most dogs would, he continues to stare up at me unflinchingly.

"Huh. Usually, Shushu isn't friendly with strangers." Boodle remarks, watching the dog with surprise. "But you are correct. My friend passed away from sickness. He was hospitalized three months ago and just left this world."

I stop rubbing his ears, staring down at the endless dark beady eyes that looked into my own. I knew that look on Shushu's face, I never thought I would see that in an animal, it made me think about those documentaries I thought were stupid and just full of bullshit. I pointed and laugh at the people who went around saying things like animals having feelings, people that became vegetarians to go against the act of killing an animal for their meat. But these eyes that I'm looking into, the eyes of a small white dog covered in bruises and cuts from being pushed around by the pirates in this town, I've never seen them look so... human.

"It hurts don't it?" I ask the dog.

I've seen some people talk to their pets, another thing I've also found stupid or just plain weird.

"It hurts when they say they'd be back," I continue, my hands rubbing the back of his ears again. "You wait for a long time for them... but they never come back like they promised they would."

Finally, Shushu lets out a whimper and his long face reaches up to lick at my chin and cheeks as if connecting to someone who really knew what he went through at the beginning when he lost his precious owner.

"Yeah, I know. I know," I lean my forehead against his. "It really _sucks_, don't it?"

Behind me, Luffy and Nami watch on with their own thoughts as Boodle quietly lit up a pipe, looking away from us and towards the pet food shop.

"Shushu is an intelligent dog, he knows his master has passed on. He stays because this pet food store is his precious treasure, the place of good and happy memories." Boodle lets out a small chuckle. "I'd think he'd stay here and guard this place, and if it weren't for me, starved to death."

Nami looks up at the house, remembering Luffy's words when those three pirates that had previously been chasing her knocked his hat down. Remembered how he retaliated with brute force for anyone touching his hat that he called a treasure.

**_RooOOAAaaR!_**

"Oh no! It's the Beast Trainer Mohji!" Boodle shoots to his feet, on full alert.

"What?" Nami looks to the old man.

I shoot to my feet, looking to the direction of where the loud roar had come from, but I knew that it was coming to our direction. I feel the back of my collar grabbed and harshly tugged backwards, I let out a small choking gargle, reaching for Shushu but pulled away. The dog remains where he is, watching us go hide while he—_even Luffy is there!_—sits there.

"What are you doing? Run!" I yell at Shushu but I'm silenced from the pair of hands slapping over my mouth to muffle me.

All three of us hide behind a house and watch on quietly, our eyes widening from the appearance of a giant lion appearing, looking more menacing than the lions I've seen in zoos or in Animal Planet*****. On top of the Lion is a strange-looking man with a white furry jacket reaching below his chest, and his weird white flurry teddy cap. I thought Coby, Zoro, Helmeppo, Morgan, and Boodle looked bizarre but this guy took the cake!

"Mohji!" Boodle hisses, sweat pouring down his face and neck. "Captain Buggy's first mate!"

"Hm. Just one guy, huh?" Mohji looks down at Luffy with such a pompous look on his face. "I am the Beast Trainer Mohji from Buggy's crew. I can see you were abandoned by your own, and you tried so hard to run away! Ha ha ha..."

"The hell are you suppose to be with that weird fur cap and jacket?" Luffy voices my earlier thoughts on this guy's appearance.

"Idiot! Look carefully, this is my _real hair_!" Mohji yells at Luffy.

...

_Christ...!_

"Ew, that just makes it gross." Luffy makes a face.

"SHUT UP!" Mohji roars, glaring down at Luffy. "Just because you're in a cage doesn't mean you're safe from me..."

"He's just asking for it...!" Boodle hisses, watching Luffy remain unaffected by Mohji's threats.

"That idiot!" Nami adds in under her breath.

"I'm telling you that there is no animal in this world that won't obey me," Mohji points down to Shushu, who remains calm and still. "Including this little doggy here!"

_'This guy ain't serious is he?'_

"Shake a paw—"

**_Bite!_**

"_Aagck_!"

_'No he isn't.'_

"You're just a petty thief." Mohji continues on like nothing happened.

"You gave up on the dog pretty quick, no?" Luffy's words were like putting salt on the open wound.

The air grew more serious, I and the others tense up when Mohji's expression darken. I freeze to see that look again, the same look I've seen on someone not too long ago when he was going in for the kill. I feel Nami's hands on my shoulder, as if in a poor way to reassure me that all would be alright, but we both knew it would not be.

"I have no reason to kill you, just tell me where Roronoa Zoro is."

"No! I don't want to!" Luffy refused.

I freeze from the next words;

"KILL HIM, RICHIE!"

"NO!"

I fiercly pull myself free from the frantic hands that tried to hold me down and silence me but I'm already out in the open. It still didn't do too much good as the lion raised his paw and easily crushed the iron cage... but amazingly leaving Luffy unscathed from the giant cat's claws. Luffy pounces out of the cage, momentarily distracted at the fact that he is now free.

"Luffy, run away!" I warn him of the incoming beast and master.

**_GraAawR!_**

I can only watch as the lion raises his paw and strike Luffy, sending him flying through a house that collapsed on him not a few moments later.

"You there," I hear and my sou'wester is blown away from a loud snort, the warm gust blowing at the side of my head and neck. I shakily turn my head to the side only to come face-to-face with jaws of death. "Do you know where I can find a Roronoa Zoro, hmm?"

The lion, Richie, is glaring down at me with those big eyes, big teeth, and big claws, I vaguely wondered if this is how Red Riding Hood felt when she faced the Wolf guised as her beloved grandmother. I heavily swallowed the saliva gathered in my mouth, slowly looking up to face the first mate of that insane clown pirate we all just barely escaped from.

"Did you not hear me, boy?" Mohji growls at me, which made Richie let out a growl himself. My chest vibrated from the deep bass of the animal's voice. "Where is Roronoa Zoro?"

"I... I..." I stutter, looking up at the man with wide eyes.

Why am I hesitating? Why shouldn't I tell him where they're keeping that murderer? I don't need to risk my neck for that guy, he killed a human being so why should I help him—

_"They were worried about you."_

_"And Zoro... well, he didn't say anything, but he had this look..."_

_'... Goddamn you, Nami...'_

"Well...? Don't make me repeat myself, I don't like to waste time!" Mohji further demands, and the lion takes a menacing step closer to me.

"I... saw them... I saw people take the swordsman in some... in a house..." I weakly tell him, ignoring the horrified looks of Nami and Boodle.

"Which house?" Mohji demands, looking around.

I slowly raise a shaky finger and point at the direction—

"Hmph! What a good little boy," Mohji casts a wicked grin down at me. "Richie!

The last thing I see is a giant paw coming towards me and then the familiarity of darkness...

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Drinker's Pub Rooftop }-¤-¤-¤-**

"What is taking that blasted Mohji so long?" Buggy roars, scaring off most of the nervous crew mates. "He should be here by now with that idiot's head on a silver platter!"

"Buggy-sama," a new voice appears, Buggy looks over his shoulder to see one of his prized soldiers of the Buggy Pirates.

"Cabaji!"

Cabaji the Acrobat, a tall slender man with a unique hairstyle for one side long enough to cover his left eye and the other side leaving parallel shaved designs. Wearing a blue and white checkered scarf that nearly came over his mouth, a sleeveless long coat, baggy pants, and dark boots tucked beneath his pants, the man is still on his unicycle. Such a feet only an acrobat of his level can only succeed.

"Shall I look for Roronoa Zoro and steal his head for you?" Cabaji offers, willing to please his captain.

"Don't bother, it would be a waste if I sent EVERYONE just to look for that guy. Besides, it's a small town, where can they possibly hide?"

_**RRrrrrgh...!**_

Buggy and Cabaji's eyes darted behind them, the men around them stiffening at the familiar and unfriendly thing they all had the unfortune of being on the same ship with. Inside the dark shady tent lied another of Buggy's favored top officers, one they had only picked up a few years back and still had only so much control over to a limited extent.

"_He's_ getting restless," Buggy muttered, wisely resting his hands where his weapons are in case he had to resort to that once again.

It only made sense to everyone of why their captain was the one person to deal with that monster they are forced to call a crew mate, Buggy was the only person that could survive against_ him_ when he became restless and/or agitated. But for caution, he is always kept at a safe distance, never spoken to and never approached... Unless someone really stupid enough wanted a death wish from this guy!

"Buggy-sama?"

"Leave him alone, he'll get his chance to slaughter a couple of people. You know how he is," Buggy smiled, remembering the times they unleashed him on unsuspecting people. "He just loves to break their spirits before he can kill them."

"Captain Buggy!" a small pirate bounds towards the two men, eyes urgent and stance bouncy; a definite sign of something happening.

"What is it, Bodi?"

"It's Mohji, Buggu-sama! He's returned...!"

"Oh? Has he?" the clown pirate strides towards the small crowd gathered around where his first mate is. "Tell me, Mohji! Did you bring me that bastard's hea—_HUH_?"

There before Buggy kneeled a battered, bruised, and very defeated Mohji with Richie also sharing the same wounds as his master.

"_WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED_?"

"Th-those guys...!" Mohji begins, blinking back between consciousness and unconsciousness.

"Did Zoro do this?"

"No, i-it was that strawhat guy...!" Mohji wavers, seeing the edges of darkness coming over his vision. "He's a ru... man...!"

"Huh?" one crew mate take a quick over and turns to Buggy. "He's out cold, Buggy-sama!"

"I CAN SEE THAT!" Buggy spat.

"Just what did he say a moment ago?"

"All I can hear was 'ru' and 'man'!"

"What the hell is that?"

"Who knows,"

"I know very well what he said," the crew turn to their captain. "He said that little bastard was a_ ROUGH MAN_!"

_'What...?'_

"PREPARE THE SPECIAL BUGGY BALL!"

"Yes, sir!"

Through all the loud commotion and preparation to aim the cannon towards the town, no one could hear the faint mutterings of the defeated Beast Master Mohji.

"Rub... ber... man...!"

"FIRE!"

**_BoOoM!_**

The world when white while Mohji's went black.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Orange Town Streets }-¤-¤-¤-**

Small wet and warm taps continue to roll on my chin and cheeks but I ignore them, but they went on and on until I had to push away whatever is causing it. My fingers brush against something soft and fluffy and I think to myself that maybe it was some pillow... but why is a pillow licking me in the face?

"Wuh!" I sit up straight from where I lay, blinking out the blurry edges so the vision can focus.

"_Woof_!"

"Huh?" I look beside me and there at my side is a very bloody but still living Shushu. "What happened...?"

"That lion just knocked you around like a rag doll." someone else answers. I look up to see a hand in my face and I follow it to find Nami.

I grab her hand and she helps haul my weight up to stand on my own two feet, I clutch the side of my head from the impact it made against the cobblestone road, thankfully it wasn't forceful enough to cause some sort of concussion or else I'd be in bigger trouble than I already am with pirates, explosions, and giant man-eating lions. As my balance returns, I look down to Shushu and notice a crumpled box next to him. I look to where the store is and to my surprise it's nothing but a pile of smoking ashes.

"What the hell just happened?" I ask again, looking around to find destruction at the line of houses that only a certain special cannon ball can do.

"Buggy happened," someone else replies and I can't stop myself from flinching at the sound of his voice. "That old man ran off to face him not too long ago."

"What?" I shout, looking at Nami for confirmation.

"Yep! He just went off like some fire-cracker!" Luffy laughs, coming from beside me. "You should've seen it!"

"And nobody even tried to...?" I trail off and shake my head, grabbing my cranium once more from the kind of pain when things were becoming too much for my poor noggin to handle.

"Reuben," I tense from the seriousness in Luffy's tone. "I took care of Mohji. Nami told us what happened... She told us what you did."

_'Shit! Fuck, fuck! That stupid...!'_ I glare at her from beneath the long strands of my dark hair, she only calmly watched me.

"Why did you—"

"_SHUT UP_!" I shout at him, pushing him away roughly, Luffy stumbled backwards in surprise but soon gain his own footing. "I don't care! I don't want to have anything to do with you crazy bastards! So leave me out of it, dammit!"

Without much words left to say or things to do I turn and rabbit, once again wanting to get away from them and hopefully this time I would do it right by not running into them anymore. I look over my shoulders and I let out a sigh of internal relief there is no one following me. My mind is focused on any possible ambushes ahead, I know I have to be careful on how I deal with those pirate chumps before I can think of setting sail. Maybe if I...

"I love this village!"

I come to a halt, looking around for the source. That voice though, I recognized it...

"Fight me, Buggy!"

Old man Boodle!

"Damn you, fight me!"

_'I can't do anything to help!'_ I shake myself before I can think of stepping in to help. _'If I do anything, I'll be the one who'll die!'_

"This village is my treasure, I won't let you take it away from me!"

I couldn't...! I can't do anything! I can't—

"Gwuahhk!"

Oh fuck, they were killing him! I'm running before I even realize it, racing through the streets like I have the Devil on my heels, although it feels like it is. I spot an opening through the alleys and in the clearing courtyard in front of the building where Buggy's base is, I see Boodle being strangled by the same hand that was used to stab Zoro from behind! I run faster now, closing the distance between me and the old man before I grab the hand and tighten my hold on the pressure points that was sure to hurt that bastard enough to let go of the old man.

"_AOOOOWW_! _TEME_, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" I hear someone shriek above me. "THAT HURTS!"

"Let him go, you fucking sadist!" I snarl, putting more pressure.

Another squawk above and the hand releases its hold on Boodle, who drops to his knees and hacks the blood-coated saliva, gaining back his air. I kneel by his side and grab him from the under side of his arms so I can help him on his feet.

"Hey! Hey old man!" I call for him, making sure he was awake and composed enough so we can get out of this alive.

Boodle lifts his head and I can tell from his expression he was going to scold me, probably for ruining his pride but it comes to a stop when his eyes widen and look behind my shoulder.

"B-behind you!" he shouts. "Look out!"

"Die, you little vermin!" Buggy roars before it broke out in mad cackles.

I turn my head, seeing the incoming hand that is now armed with multiple daggers that are definitely going to pin me full of holes, I grab the old man, ready to push him away—

**_Snatch!_**

"Eh?"

"What the..." I mumble, staring at the blade inches away from meeting my spine and follow the one thing that stopped it from digging into my flesh.

"You...?" Boodle coughs out, looking amazed more than anything.

"Hey you!" the rescuer calls to the tense clown pirate. "Didn't I just say that stabbing in the back is wrong?"

"Strawhat!" Buggy growls, glaring down at the boy who grinned up at him with such cocky confidence and his eyes fix on the other two accompanying him. "You all are going to die, I'll make sure of it!"

Nami mumbles of gathering her treasure and letting the dirty work to Zoro and Luffy, Zoro huffs nonchalantly, uncaring of what she does so long it does not ruin his fun against the pirate enemies. Boodle pulls away from me, stumbling on his feet and I step forward to help him but I jump back when he shouts.

"How dare you? This is my war, don't get involved!" he points his spear at Buggy's direction. "I will fight for my village, you don't—"

**_SLAM!_**

"Ughh...!"

"You bastard!" I shout at Luffy, who had slammed Boodle's head against some wall to knock him unconscious. "_What is your deal_?"

"Why did you do that, you idiot?" Nami demands, taking a menacing step forward to attack Luffy.

"He'd only get in way," Luffy simply replies, facing Buggy and his fleet.

_'He...'_

"That was actually smart thinking Luffy, no doubt the old would've charged in," Zoro pulls the hands from his pockets and rests them on the swords. "And it would've been a hassle if he got killed or something."

"Next time, give a little warning!" Nami roars at them both.

"Oi, Reuben," I look to my left, seeing Luffy stare at me so openly before grinning. "You really don't like doing what you say, huh?"

"Shut yer pie hole," I growl at him.

"Shishishi~!" Luffy laughs and looks back at Buggy. "Just glad you didn't really run away."

_'...'_

"Hey you _ugly red nose_!"

The reaction was just as bad as the first time, except worst for what they're going to throw at us this time.

"FIRE THE SPECIAL BUGGY BALL!"

"Oh shi—"

"You idiot!"

"Gumo Gumo no..."

_**BoOoM!**_

"Luffy!"

"BALLOON!"

I fall back on my ass along with Nami and Zoro as we watch Luffy inflate himself to look very much so like a balloon. His body expanding to the point where it looked like his clothes looked just ready to rip themselves off, and I really didn't want to see what else was inflated down south (that's just dirty). Luffy's body seemed to stumble back and we all tense but whatever it was, it repelled back and I realize it's the cannon ball that is dodged and I can't help but let out a loud sigh of relief of dodging that.

We are still shielded from the explosion and light flashing, no doubt hitting the building the Buggy pirates are on, I shudder from the thought of so many people...

"Holy crap..." I mutter.

"You said it." Nami agrees, tiny sweat drops dripping down her chin.

"Hah! I decreased their numbers!" Luffy comments as he returns to normal.

"Just what the hell are you?" Nami demands.

"You could've warned us, you fool." Zoro lowly mumbles, glaring at Luffy's back.

I help myself to my feet, brushing off the pebbles and dirt and chancing a glance to the old man and relieved to see him still untouched and unconscious. It was smart, I'll give Luffy that much of credit, but he still didn't need to be so harsh about how to keep an innocent civilian safe. Hearing a sudden stop to Luffy and Nami's squabbling, I turn to the direction ahead of us and nearly choke in my own spit when I see two men and that familiar lion... though there was something wrong with this picture.

"Why aren't they moving?"

"Can't you tell?" Nami points at the three. "Those three were just used as shields!"

"Say what?"

The three crumble in a pile of heap revealing that Buggy and another side-show freak in a scarf standing beside the captain are totally unharmed from the explosion, both of them sharing a very unhappy look of their cannon ball being thrown back at them.

"Those two look royally pissed," I remark, gulping loudly.

"These jerks have no shame at all..." Nami growls, fists clenched and eyes hard.

"EHCK! BUGGY-SAMA, THAT'S THE RUBBER MAN!" I spot Mohji squawk, pointing at Luffy with urgency. "THE ONE WITH DEVIL FRUIT ABILITIES!"

"Devil Fruit?" Nami turns to Luffy which he demonstrates to me and the others in first meeting by pulling his cheek to impossible lengths.

"Why didn't you tell me THAT!" Buggy roars, giving Mohji a slug in the face.

"But I did!" Mohji cries, looking to our direction once more and his eyes caught mine. His face turning feral and pointing a finger at my direction. "YOU! You little bastard!"

I narrow my eyes at him. Not scared as I had been, especially that he's not sitting on top of that lion.

"You... YOU GAVE ME THE WRONG DIRECTIONS!" Mohji howls, still pointing at me. "You lied to me! You led me away from that Roronoa Zoro so that Strawhat would find me later!"

"Shut up!" Buggy snaps, punching him once more but this time Mohji went out cold.

* * *

><p><em>"Well...? Don't make me repeat myself, I don't like to waste time!" Mohji further demands, and the lion takes a menacing step closer to me.<em>

_"I... saw them... I saw people take the swordsman in some... in a house..." I weakly tell him, ignoring the horrified looks of Nami and Boodle._

_"Which house?" Mohji demands, looking around._

_I slowly raise a shaky finger and point at the direction—_far away from Boodle's house_._

_"Hmph! What a good little boy," Mohji casts a wicked grin down at me. "Richie!_

* * *

><p>"<em>Hah<em>! And I thought a little squealing rat like you didn't have the guts to lie to a pirate!" Buggy laughs at me before pointing a finger at Zoro. "Did you or did you not call him a murderer? Didn't you run away from these people that didn't bat an eyelash at killing another person?"

My body is shaking like it's in the middle of some blizzard, losing my breath. I'm holding myself because I can't trust a stranger to hold me on my feet, the horrible images scarred into the back of my eyes. Cold sweat pouring down my face and neck

"Didn't you want to get away as far as you can from them?"

"Oi! Shut up!"

I freeze as I see someone step up to stand in front of me, blocking Buggy from staring down at me with so many harsh truths that I had no choice but to agree with. The white shirt and green waistband with bandages wrapped around is undeniable of who it is that is shielding me from the pirate clown; Roronoa Zoro.

"What a man thinks between killing and letting a person live, despite who or what that person is, is his own decision!" Zoro states, pointing his sword at the opposing side. "So shut up and let him decide what is right!"

"Hmph!" the scarf-wearing man scoffs, "He just turned his back on his own. _What kind of man is that_?"

"Like you're one to talk!" Nami insults, pointing at their own fallen.

"These are unworthy! I am Cabaji_ 'The Acrobat'_ and the second mate of the Buggy Pirates!" the scarf-wearing menace charges, revealing to be sitting on a unicycle and aiming at Luffy's head with his own incoming blade. "I will avenge Buggy-sama for causing him so much trouble!"

_**CLANG!**_

"If its a sword fight your looking for," Zoro says as he blocks the attack from reaching Luffy. "Then I'm game!"

"Roronoa Zoro, it'll be an honor... to take your head!" Cabaji grimly smiles behind his scarf.

The green-haired swordsman is wobbling a bit, I notice, from the wound inflicted on him earlier from that Buggy guy. Luffy also notices this and steps in.

"Hey, take a break, you're still hurt."

Unfortunately, Cabaji hears this and surprises everyone including Zoro a fire-breathing trick to the man's face. And with Zoro distracted by trying to recover quickly, Cabaji pulls back a leg and... delivers the blow right on Zoro's stab wound. I let out a muffled groan as Zoro lets out a strangled agonizing shout, nearly dropping his swords as he clutches his side.

And that bastard ain't done yet.

"Acrobat technique; Murder Mist Trick!"

"Some trick this is!" Zoro wheezes out, but still alert.

Cabaji strikes in again and Zoro blocks it, but like the first time the acrobat goes in for the kill by kicking him again and Zoro reacts by dropping down to his knees and hands, nursing his splurting and gushing gash.

"You dirty bastard!" Nami shouts, getting riled up from the sight.

"What? When I see a full grown man like this, it's just pathetic..." the unicycle-riding dick answers. "You made a big mistake in making the Buggy Pirates your enemies!"

"Why are you still watching on all stone-faced?" Nami demands from Luffy. "Do something, he'll kill your friend!"

"I'll send you to the next world, Roronoa Zoro!"

I watch in awe as Zoro deflects the attack, smacking that bastard on the unicycle in the process so he can eat the dirt. Luffy is watching this like a little kid seeing some superhero kick ass, Nami is surprised from the comeback, and Buggy is grinding his teeth in annoyance of somebody showing him and crew a little back bone.

"You're so annoying..." Zoro huffs, out of breath from blood loss. "Do you enjoy tearing up my wound like it's a game?"

**_Slice~!_**

_'He just... cut himself open!'_

"Kyaa!" Nami squeals, surprised while Luffy chokes at the sight.

The two, Buggy and Cabaji, are just as shocked as the others from Zoro going so far so that it would stop Cabaji from attacking that one vulnerable spot.

"Stop it! _STOP IT_!" I let out a shrill cry as I fall to my knees and clutch my face so I can no longer see anymore of this non-stop blood shedding that seemed forever and endless. "_STOP IT_!_ STOP IT_!_ STOP THAT_!"

"Reuben..."

"Gyahahaha!" Buggy laughs. "Such a loud coward!"

"Took the words out of my mouth, captain!" Cabaji cackles.

"SHUT UP!" Luffy roars, surprising everyone. "It takes a real man to show his tears, especially when someone he doesn't really know is bleeding or just dead, _SO DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT HIS KINDNESS_!"

Why was Luffy putting so much effort... for me?

"Enough of this," I hear Zoro say and his tone his putting on a strong effort. "I'll show you with this wound at how different our levels are."

"You're going to die with that bleeding out if my blades won't."

"Heh, then this'll be fate laughing at me on how I lost to some crummy wannabe."

"... You asshole!"

I can't continue to listen two men with swords fight each other to the death, I hold the side of my ears with the help of my sou'wester, doing my best to block everything from sight and sound. But it's still there... the faint sound of metal clashing against metal, a battle cry versus a war cry, the sick familiar scent of copper filling my nose...

I pull my ears away, finding no use that even without seeing it, I can feel it from my bones, and no matter how hard I try to cover my ears I can still hear them.

I can't take it anymore. I can't stop the sounds and the smells coming over me like I'm absorbing it all, like going through some sort of torture where I have to listen and watch death keep coming and coming until I become one of them killers.

"Oni GIRI!" came Zoro's shout.

And silence.

_'Oh God...'_ I can't help but cry again, the tears blinding me. _'Oh God, he killed that guy didn't he?'_

A hand rests heavily on my shoulder and I can't help but quickly look up who it is, and to my surprise, it is—

"Zoro...?" I whimper out, staring up at him with fear.

He stares down at me for a while, still panting and out of breath from fighting and losing so much blood.

"_I didn't kill him_." he said.

"... W-what...?"

"I... I didn't kill him." he repeats, louder this time.

I look beyond him and see Cabaji, I notice the blood on his chest and cobblestones but squint my eyes and to my surprise, the man lets out a breath. He's unconscious, hurt but otherwise fine.

"You didn't kill him..." I whisper.

"Yeah," he nods, still leaning his hand on me. "I didn't."

And I can't help but ask, "... _why_?"

"Because," the man pauses to get a better grip on the wound. "I didn't feel like it."

"Y-YOU FOOLS!" Buggy shouts, looking irked from us and Luffy's challenge against him, I also notice Nami's absence. "You're pirates?"

"Hand over the map to the Grand Line!" Luffy demands.

Buggy looks between at us, assessing what the damage is and what he could do. He can be cut into many slices but he had to have a weak point besides the sea. Luffy was rubber but swords can hurt him, and that time with the hand...

"Luffy!" I call him and point at Buggy. "The guy can't die from being sliced, but if you can punch him..."

"Oh?"

"WAH! _YOU LITTLE SNITCH_!" Buggy screams at me in anger.

"Just as I thought!" I trick him.

"Hah hah..." Zoro grins back at the clown. "That's our very own professor smartass here!"

"That's it...!" Buggy's face grew dark and fierce. "I'll leave you for_ him_ to kill..."

"...Who—"

"_GURAJIIII_~!" Buggy calls to the sky. "COME OUT AND KILL THIS BOY!"

In the rubble of the destroyed pub, a flash of something dark and tall shoots to the sky and slam down to the cobblestone a few feet in front of Buggy which created a large cloud of dust to blind us the view of the figure hiding within. Suddenly, the dark figure darts towards me and Zoro.

"Reuben! Zoro!" Luffy calls to us in worry.

"Shit!" Zoro stumbles to draw his blades out.

And I... toss Zoro out of the way.

**_SLAM!_**

"Argh!" I let out as I'm being thrown back through a wooden door of some small dark warehouse behind me.

"REUBEN!" I hear both teens shout but the entrance collapses, leaving me alone with whoever is going to fucking kill me.

"Shit, fuck, fuck, shit!" I curse under my breath as I pull myself to my feet, coughing a little and groaning from the pain on my back hitting the door.

I get to my feet and face my enemy but froze at what I'm look at. That figure that was called from the rubble of the destroyed building, that figure that just shot to the sky and up in front of Buggy before me and the others, and that figure that went towards me... it was... it was—

"A coffin...?"

A big, black, tall coffin glared down at me...

And it was breathing.

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

Juggalos - Juggalo or Juggalette (the latter being feminine) is a name given to fans of Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group.

Krusty the Clown - A character from the cartoon show; The Simpsons. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa's favorite TV show, a combination of kiddie variety television hijinks and cartoons including The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Krusty is often portrayed as a cynical, burnt out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway.

Animal Planet - An American cable TV channel showing animal-related television series such as The Crocodile Hunter, Big Cat Diaries, The Most Extreme, ect.


	6. Primeval

**A/N:** I know I have not updated for so long but I've been busy and I was kinda on a writer's block, sorry. Any, I've been pestered and pestered all week to get this story done but I'm kinda flattered that someone wanted this done. I got a little help here and there but none so much, I had to watch some movies to get ideas (though I won't say which ones). I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter and please remember to read and review it! Love you bunches!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Ed-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 5 - Primeval*  
><strong>

**—**

Primordial fear, the thought of knowing what is coming builds panic and pandemonium inside our heads that we begin to lose clarity and reason and the only thoughts run through our heads is to survive no matter what. The thought of dying revolts us, the thought of being killed because we happen to be the person that crossed the wrong individual terrifies us. Fear takes away any sense we have left in our minds and molds it into something primal—

That coffin, I watched with growing disgust, it's alive.

It's like watching that one door in some Disneyland ride*****breathe in and out, the wood looking more organic than an inanimate solid material. It's breathing ragged like some old man losing his breath, seeming more and more alive that I wish I wasn't alone with this thing that breathed so loudly.

I'm trapped. Alone. With this breathing giant black coffin.

Luffy is outside dealing with Buggy, the man who has the powers to split himself into pieces no matter how many times he's cut, and he could dodge if Luffy attacked with his fists but that's the only chance a person like Luffy has fighting against a guy like Buggy. Zoro won't do much good to help me, he's been wounded earlier from Buggy and more so because of the viscous kicks delivered to him by that twisted acrobat, and because of the self-mutilation to injure himself more. I may not have seen the rest of Zoro's fight but I know it had worn him out, the exhaustion having caught up to him and his body collapsing. And Nami is nowhere to be seen, the thief wandering off to probably collect trinkets and treasures while the pirates are distracted and paying attention to us.

So, to conclude on my odds on surviving against a coffin that Buggy is deeming the best in killing whoever pissed the captain off?

_'I'm going to fucking die!'_

Helpless. Weak. Vulnerable.

I've hated those feelings. I hate it so much, I hate it, _hateithateithateit_!

It was just like that time when they said_ he_—

It takes seconds for my brain to register from the shocks of my nerves before it all comes to one thing; pain.

My dark eyes drift down to the place where my neck meets my shoulder, not a second later there is a painful squirt of blood flying and staining my black shirt. My body is screaming for me to move and I barely jump to the left and landed on my side in time to see a sword stab into the ground where I had been standing not too long ago.

"What the hell—"

**_Wooosh!_**

My head tilts to the side and I feel a sharp pain at my left temple and hear the sound of something stabbed onto the tiled ground just behind me, my eyes adjusting to see the reflection against shining steel with small splatters of my blood stained on the surface. I feel, I smell the blood trailing down my temple, the side of my face, and down to my chin and my God I feel like I wanted to release my bladder because I really wanted to my piss in my pants.

A shadow looms over me and I look up to see the giant black coffin standing over my fallen form, two black clothed muscular arms protruding from the sides where I never seen any holes that allowed limbs to go through and each white gloved hand holding stainless steel swords to use into chopping my body to bits.

I watch with wide eyes, seeing my reflection glinting from the blades that will be the death of me.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Orange Streets }-¤-¤-¤-**

_'Idiot! That little fucking idiot!'_

Zoro cursed, glaring at the sealed entrance of the warehouse that trapped Reuben with whatever psycho Buggy sent in after the guy. He can hear pitiful yelps of terror and blades scratching against pavement, the feeling of being useless and weak bored down on the green-haired swordsman like heavyweights. He hated feeling useless and weak, it made him feel like a child once again.

Vertigo and sleepiness invaded his vision and mind, but the swordsman willed himself to stay awake and do _SOMETHING _about how to get poor guy out of there and take out that Guraji guy that Buggy feels so much confidence for.

"After I kick his ass," Luffy said as he raised his fists. "I'm definitely going to save my friend!"

"I wouldn't bet on that, you brat!" Buggy scoffed at the over-confident nature of the rubber brat. "Your friend is as good as dead!"

"Reuben's a strong guy, he won't die easily! Stupid big-nose!"

"I'm going to KILL YOU!"

Luffy charged into action and is preoccupied fighting that clown bastard, using his fists and insults to get some hits here and there, but it looked like it wasn't progressing any further. Not enough time to help their own guy who couldn't fight to save his own life.

Where the _hell_ is Nami?

He slowly blinked, shaking his head to clear away the exhaustion and tilted his head to wherever she may have left off, and sure enough near the collapsed building that Luffy took out with his bizarre abilities, she's stuffing treasures inside a growing sack. The greed in her eyes made the swordsman scoff in disgust but she was the only ally they had, the other being knocked out thanks to Luffy, again!

"Oi!" he called.

She's still picking around for more berris.

"_OI_!" he tries again.

The orangette woman stiffens, probably thinking that someone caught the thief and she cautiously looks over her shoulder to see who's attention she's attracted, her shoulder is still tense but the worry in her eyes lessen somewhat. She's still looking at him, willing to listen as long as it's on her terms.

**_Rrrrmmmm!_**

Zoro and Nami look back at the warehouse, listening to the new sound. There was no fighting, no screams of agony or fear, no cave in from the building despite it coming close to being damaged several times from Buggy's cannon balls.

It was the sound of machines.

_'Whatever you are doing,'_ Zoro grunted from his sharp pain as he turns to the girl._ 'Do not die!'_

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Warehouse }-¤-¤-¤-**

I'm beginning to understand how Zoro feels with all the blood oozing out of him.

_'What a monster!'_

I huff against a wooden pillar, getting some distance between the black coffin that played with me like this is a twisted game of a repeat tag. The smell of blood overwhelming me that I feel like I'm gonna throw up sometime soon, the worse part is that I taste it too. But I can't puke my guts up to my heart's content because otherwise I'd have to take my eyes off him and the noise of me regurgitating would attract the sick fucker and I'd have my head lopped off.

I'm suffering with three gashes, one on my right bicep, another on my left thigh, and another on my ribs. God, I could feel the blade just touch my rib bones, I nearly bit my tongue off from the pain! Now I'm bleeding from the mouth, the blood coating my chin, I can imagine how disgusting and terrible I look.

The machines in this warehouse I've turned on by accident are distracting Guraji, it wouldn't last but it had to buy me some time to plan an escape out of this place without getting killed in the process. Fuck, I can't believe I'm in a situation like this, I can't do shit to help myself and I don't have any special training or neat tricks like the others to get out of this too terrifying ordeal.

Shifting on my position, I flinch from the light coming down in my eyes. Ducking down to the shade, I look up and all the answers of my escape lie above me.

_'I had to get to the second floor to the windows!'_

A flight of stairs led up to the second floor, but the problem is is that the damn coffin is standing near the stairs that led up and there was no way I was going to get past him without getting myself killed. A distraction is needed.

**_Crash!_**

I whip my head up in time to see something small—_is that a can?_—coming down from one of the windows on the second floor coming to land between myself and the coffin. The moment the object lands, it explodes into a bunch of smoke. This was like God answering a prayer, this was the way out!

_'Go!'_

I run quickly through the smoke, heading straight for the stairs and ducking in time to avoid being wildly cut down by the struggling coffin box that weaved wildly through the smoke. I skip multiple steps in the haste to reach the top floor, I look back and I nearly lose my step and choked to death in my own spit. Why did I nearly lose my balance and choked in my own saliva?

Because the coffin was following with six new limbs climbing the way up like some sick twisted version of a human spider.

"Goddammit!" I curse, turning and running to the nearest window. "FUCK THIS!"

I crashed through the window without any hesitation. Has anyone ever been on the sort of ride where your body plummets and you can feel your insides come up as though it was trying to rise up? I felt just that. The sad thing is in this situation? I don't have any latches or bars holding me for safety. After all, it is a known knowledge that bad things happen when a person is falling down from a second story building.

I crashed down._ HARD_.

"Augh!" I coughed at the impact of my body hitting a cobble road. I think the landing broke something. "Ow, shit..."

"Ha!" I hear Luffy's voice in the backgrounds, still exchanging fists with Buggy. "Told you, you stupid big-nose!"

"Stop calling me BIG-NOSE!" the offended clown roared.

_'Kick his ass for me, Luffy,' _I huffed out, my body sagging and exhausted.

I got outside. That's the important thing, because I have more of a chance in surviving when there is more room to run away from that despicable—

"LOOK OUT!"

With no time to question why, I rolled quickly away to hear the sound of something crashing where I was moments ago, the action confirming from how painful the right side of ribs that I have indeed broken a rib or two. I looked up and sure enough there is that damn black coffin, his six extra limbs armed with swords and spears, this is just ridiculous! I stumbled onto my feet, my body sore and bruised, bleeding and throbbing from the effort of trying to survive.

"You may have tried to kill me in there," I point at the warehouse. "But out here I've got a bigger chance to kick your ass than you!"

I'm so bluffing my ass off.

**_Rrrrgh!_**

I step back, startled from the deep toned growl emitting from the coffin, but it proved to me a mistake because next thing I know I'm on my knee and oh my God there's a _fuckingspearstabbedintomyleg_!

"_JESUS _FUCKING_ CHRIST_!" I howl out as the pain registered seconds later, my hands grabbing at the hand of the spear and I scream out from the shift in movement in my severely painful leg.

"Reuben, MOVE!"

The coffin is coming for me, a new weapon taking place of the one that is currently stuck through my flesh. I can feel the air leave my lungs to the point I can't remember how to breathe, the noise around me became mute and the volume of my heart raised high, my eyes focused on the black coffin who's form so fitting to bring me down to my grave...

He's coming!

"_MOVE_!"

Something slid across the cobblestone and I blindly grab whatever is given to me by whoever, raising my weapon to point it at the coffin that halted just in time, all weapons within the coffin's hands stiff and tense as they are barely inches away from stabbing my body full of holes. I blink away my glazed vision, focusing on what it is happening and it takes a few long quiet seconds to catch my heavy breathing to realize what I'm doing.

Zoro's sword.

The same sword I held in my hand to cut off the ties from Zoro's imprisonment on the stake, the same sword used to free the innocent citizens of the island, the same sword used to cut down a man. The white blade pointed at the center of the coffin, just an inch away from taking the life of the enemy that cried out for my blood at the order of his captain.

Primordial fear, the thought of knowing what is coming builds panic and pandemonium inside our heads that we begin to lose clarity and reason and the only thoughts run through our heads is to survive no matter what. The thought of dying revolts us, the thought of being killed because we happen to be the person that crossed the wrong individual terrifies us. Fear takes away any sense we have left in our minds and molds it into something primal—

—_a person who kill to survive_.

The sound of two people fighting filled the still air, occasional battle cries and insults following through but nothing more. The coffin remains looming over my pathetic fallen form, my leg throbbing in pain that out beat all the other wounds I've been on the receiving end of from inside the warehouse. My hands holding tightly onto the handle of the white blade that could easily cut itself deep inside the wooden coffin and everything, the weapons in his hands still a little far away to try anything should they so much as twitch.

I had to end this. I had to stop him before he could find a chance to kill me again, his relentless attacks leaving me bloody and bruised and my body on the verge of collapsing. I want to live! I don't want to die like this!

So why...?

Why am I not stabbing this sword through his fucking guts to end it all?

I can hear someone calling my name again, but it sounded so far away and too quiet for me to understand anything. My hands are shaking so badly, the grip on the handle of the sword feeling so heavy as the seconds ticked by and my eyes—_fuck, not again_—are getting blurry and wet. I've been scared enough from being close to death a few times from this guy, and this feeling that overcame me as I hold the blade close to this coffin was just the same.

"I can't do this...!" I tell the coffin as my tears came over me again, my heart rate building again from the panic warring within me. "But I don't want to die either!"

My hesitation was all that the coffin needed to finally put an end to me. And didn't have enough time to scream.

**_BAM!_**

I blinked as the deadly coffin is blown away by a fast hit, the mid-section of the body broken and splintered but not enough to actually see what is hiding inside, not that some of us wanted to know. I sense someone standing behind me and I look over my shoulder, raising my head to meet who it is. And let me say, I've never been more happy in my life to see that person.

"L-Luffy..." I say his name to assure myself that I really am seeing what I'm seeing. "Luffy!"

Luffy looks a little banged up, his clothes wrinkled and dirty from the work out with tears and scratches spotted on the red vest and blue shorts, his short dark hair ruffled which made me wondered where is that hat he favored so much? The fight against the damn Buggy must have really give a work out but since there was no sound to heard from the guy, I suppose the victor of this fight is pretty obvious. But despite his looks, he remained the same as ever; vivacious and tough-as-nails.

"No one," the hat less boy says to the direction of the motionless coffin, his silly nature gone and replaced by a strong and firm young man. "No one _EVER _makes my nakama do what they don't want to, you stupid box!"

I never wanted to cry so badly like right now.

I let out a sob as I bowed my head, my shoulders shaking and my breathing haggard as I let the tears fall down from my face and onto the hands that weakly held onto a blade of death. Pretty soon I feel the blade tugged away from my hands and I look to my left as Zoro, who somehow miraculously healed somewhat from the short-period rest on the floor, sheathed away his sword and remained seated next to me and never once commented how stupid it was for a grown man to cry little a little girl.

Still, a part of me felt fear for this man but another part me, something maybe I should call a sick, twisted part of me, is relieved and happy that Zoro is okay.

"We should do something about that spear," Zoro said nonchalantly.

Maybe he knows how I feel about him, so little by little understood about me just as I'll be willing to understand him if he would let me over the course of our time together.

"Yeah," I nod after a while of calming down. "Lets do that."

15 minutes of struggle, pain, and shrieks I'm stripping out of the black buttoned shirt and wrap it tightly around my leg, still holding the sniffles from Zoro's brutal attempt in playing nurse. Luffy and Nami approach us, each of them holding heavy-looking bags of what I can guess is treasure from Buggy's treasure-hunting adventures.

"You okay?" Nami asks me, looking over at my body and stopping at my leg.

"I'll live," I tell her as I help myself on my feet and offer a hand to Zoro, the man stares at my hand for a few seconds before he grabs a hold and I help lift him up to his feet. "I've been meaning to ask, who was it that threw that gas can inside the warehouse?"

"Oh, that would be me." Nami said, giving a sheepish grin. "That was the last of my escape tricks that I only use for emergency. There wasn't really much I could do, so..."

"No," I stop her. "No. It was good enough, really good. Thank you."

She looked awkward, like she wasn't used to being thanked. Her mouth opened like she wanted to say something but closed at the last minute and instead turned to Luffy, the brat bragging of having a new crew member.

I quirk a brow at the orangette and turn to Zoro, but the man is looking at some random direction and I only shrug my shoulders and turn to the banter between Luffy and Nami.

"Hey," I hear Luffy say as he spots Boodle, still unconscious from where he is. "We should wake up ojii-san!"

"You guys," someone from behind us says, and we all whirl around to face a crowd of people who we can guess are the citizens of the village. And they looked armed from what little pistols, sharp rakes, pitch forks, and other gardening tools they had. Looked like the classic mob, all they need were torches to be complete. "Seen any of Buggy's pirates around here? It's quiet but please tell us if you know what's happening."

"There are some of Buggy's men left." I said, pointing at the rubble of where the pub used to be.

"Ah, Chief!" someone cried and all the people crowd around the fallen Boodle. "Are you okay? Was it those pirate bastards?"

"Ah, sorry," I stiffen at Luffy speaking up. "That was my doing."

Next thing we know, myself, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are at the receiving end of the dark glares that mob gave to us. Their weapons slowly raised, the triggers of the pistols being pulled back, and killing intent clouding around us.

"Luffy, what the fuck man?" I growl at him. "You're giving them the wrong idea!"

"But you saw me do that, right?" Luffy turns to me with a scowl.

"Tell them it was for good intentions!" Nami added from beside me.

"How dare you!" a woman said with fury, it was like watching mama getting after me when I was being a spoiled brat.

"Who the hell do you think you guys are? Could you be the pirates!" one skin-headed man demands, aiming a pickaxe at us.

_'Oh fuck no...' _I thought as I wisely began to back away, knowing very well what will come next with Luffy being honest and all.

"We _are _pirates!"

And all hell broke loose.

I limp-run towards the docks where our boat is, Zoro's arm slung over my shoulders because the man is still very weak from the blood loss but the green-haired bastard still has enough energy to laugh his ass off. I had to hold my temper in check from wanting to elbow him in the gut. We duck through an alley and I almost stop because I see Shushu.

"Hey—" I greet him but I'm cut off from Nami grabbing at one of the straps of my wife beater.

"Keep running, baka!" she orders me and Luffy is right next to Luffy to pull his other arm on his shoulder and wrap another arm around my waist to hasten the pace.

"See ya, pal." I tell the dog and run past him with Nami leading the way.

With Shushu holding off the mob, we dashed through the streets, past the houses and rubble until we finally reach the docks where our boats are parked. The stolen boat that I did not realize from Moe, Larry, and Curly's story parked next to our pathetic excuse of a boat and Luffy, who had no idea of the true owner of the boat, complimented Nami.

"Uh, it's not mine really..." Nami waved Luffy off. "I stole this from a bunch of stupid pirates earlier."

"I forgot to mention something." I said as I point at her boat. "Me and Zoro brought said stupid pirates with us."

"EH?" she turns to me with horror in her slowly paling face.

"YOU!" Moe, Larry, and Curly appear before us, their hands reaching for their weapons. "Did you think we'd forget what you've done to us?"

Nami backed away, hands tightly wrapped around the bag full of treasure and gold.

"Hey, you three," I call to them. "Move it, we're on a roll!"

"What the hell do you wa—" the beanie-pirate holds his tongue the moment he sees me. "You...! You're Zoro's...!"

"Did you not hear me?" I made a scary face I've only seen my dad pull I'm sure it would have made him proud. "_Move_."

"Y-yes s-sir...!" they whimpered as they backed away in a safe distance.

"_Shishishi_! You're such a scary person!" Luffy laughs at me.

"Shut up," I tell him with a small smile gracing my lips.

Me and Luffy settle Zoro gently onto the small boat and get to work on preparing to set sail, occasionally helping Nami on her own boat that we connected our boat to hers. The wind is blowing and the boats are being pushed off into the ocean, sailing to where the next island will be for us to land.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU FOOLS!" someone cried from behind us and well look turn heads to see the chief Boodle on his feet and looking like he came from a running marathon.

"Here it comes..." I mutter under my breath, waiting for an old man's insults.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Say what? I look back to the others with confusion written on his face and suddenly we all broke into smiles and grins. Luffy enthusiastically waving like an idiot to say his farewell to the old chief. Barking is heard and I again look back to the dock of the village, grinning to see Shushu by the man's side and Boodle picks the dog up to hold to his chest as the old man cries in honest to God happy tears.

"Say bye, Reuben! Shushu is calling for you!" Luffy excitedly gets me up on my feet and forced my hand to wave back.

"See ya, mutt!" I indulge the rubber brat.

It was going to be tough the more we traveled onto this sea of pirates, I thought as I waved goodbye to the old man and dog, but I'm going to be strong without having to become a man who will kill to get by in this world.

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

Primeval - British science fiction television programme about animals from the future and past travel through a portal of time in present day Britian.

The Haunted Mansion - A dark ride located at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Disneyland


	7. The Boy who Cried Pirates!

**A/N:** Hi there! Been awhile but I finally got the chapter submitted and I hope it's okay. The last chapter was a bit short but it was all I can do. Anyway, this buddy of mine _**Drago pirate**_ is insisting that I get some picture down to describe the looks of his family, the Monte Blanc crew, and himself but the only person I can depend on is AWOL at the moment and I don't know anyone who's good at drawing Oda's OP style. This is probably pretty useless of me to ask but is there someone that could do this, I ain't gonna do commission because that stuff requires money, right? Money that I don't have. So until my friend has returned from the land of the dead, there ain't gonna be no pictures. Thank you and please enjoy the story!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Oda-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 6 - The Boy who Cried "Pirates!"*  
><strong>

_**—**_

_I lie on the ground, the sky beautiful and blue as ever with no single cloud in the sky. A bird is circling the sky._

_Followed by another..._

_... and another. And so many more until I realize they're not the normal birds that are from the sea; vultures._

_I'm bleeding, I can smell the copper coated on my face, torso, legs and it won't stop. It won't fucking stop! The blood is oozing out of my mouth and I can't do anything, I can cry for help because I'm choking up a fountain here and nobody is around to see me as I bleed to death._

_What is this? I hear someone coming._

_Yes! Yes, someone is here to help me—_

_A coffin._

_A big, black, breathing coffin._

_"No..." I let myself whimper out._

_The coffin opens and numerous gruesome hands reach for me from within the hollow dark of the death box and I can't fight out of their grip as they pull me to the place that will be my grave._

* * *

><p>"NO!"<em><br>_

I shoot up with a sharp intake of air like I had still been drowning in my own blood, eyes wild and darting back and forth to see if the coffin is still around with his cold hands ready to take me under and lock me forever inside his black box.

"Bad dream?"

I whip my head so fast it almost hurt but I didn't care. The source I'm searching for is just a wounded green-haired swordsman who is awake and leaning against the side of the boat, watching me critically with those dark eyes of his. I didn't reply, instead leaned back down on my side of the boat and turn my eyes towards Luffy and Nami as the woman fixed the rubber brat's torn up strawhat.

The adrenaline from yesterday after leaving the island died down in us all, Nami's fury dwindling down to a calm after she agreed that it was right what Luffy had done to leave the other half of the stolen treasure for the village to use as a sort of compensation. Mine and Zoro's wounds are still fresh and bleeding a little from yesterday's struggle against Buggy's crew, Nami wanted to hurry to the next island to find a doctor to fix us both and we both couldn't agree more.

Supply on the two small boats, however, began to run low and Luffy is obviously to blame for the food, or lack thereof.

"Damn you, Luffy," I curse as I spot him chewing on his most favored snack; red meat.

"Hey, I'm hungry." Zoro announces, looking at Nami like he expects her to readily hand it over.

"You all are idiots, you know that?" she snaps at us but after a few seconds goes ahead and digs around her own bag to find food.

"Why are you including _me_?" I demand, offended that she would compare me to these blockheads I'm associated with.

"Because you're allowing it to happen!"

Okay, she did have a point, I'll admit.

"You guys need to be prepared! You don't have much food or water and you think you can just set sail to the Grand Line? You're underestimating the ocean!"

"That, and we need a bigger boat." I added.

She beamed at me. "At least there is someone else with enough brain cells in their head."

"Professor smartass..." Zoro taunts and I can only give the bastard a death glare.

"Don't try me." I warn him.

"Hey! I see something!" Luffy points out and we—Nami has binoculars—squint our eyes to see that in the distance is a small island.

Nami does a quick assess over the island. "That island is unpopulated and very useless, we should move on—"

"Hey guys, lets see if we can find someone will join our crew and maybe pick up some food..." Luffy rambles on as he rows the boat at the direction of the island Nami wanted to avoid.

"STOP RIGHT NOW!" she screeches from behind us but her cries are ignored.

Luffy hopped out of the boat with ease when reaching the very shallow waters and pulled it until it rested safely onto the sands of the beach, making sure it wouldn't drift out in his absence. Nami followed shortly after though Luffy had to help her when she seemed to have trouble considering hers is much bigger than ours.

"Okay! We're here!" Luffy declares with a gleeful look in his eyes. "There's nothing but a forest!"

"No duh," I snort from behind him, stretching my legs only to pause when the pain returns in full swing. "Ow...!"

"You better not move around," Nami advises and looks past me to the sleeping Zoro. "Both of you."

"I'll wait here then." I said, having enough excitement from yesterday. I look at Luffy and see him wander blindly to the forest, I return my gaze to Nami and gesture my head to Luffy's direction. "Make sure he doesn't..."

She snorts and rolls hers eyes, following Luffy while grumbling under her breath. "Can't make any promises."

I'm tired, really dead tired, but I can't imagine the thought of going asleep again, not with Garaji haunting my mind with thoughts of death and oblivion. His multiple weapons pointed right at me before going in for the kill, a completely different scenario played in a 'what if'; what if Luffy didn't make it in time?

Because no matter how badly I didn't want to die that day, I just couldn't bring myself to push the sword forward and end the nightmare. I could not bear the thought of taking away someone's life if it had meant my own survival.

It sucks.

I look at the ocean out of reason to forget my gruesome and troubled thoughts, watching with a small daze as the waters rise and flow back from the beach only repeat continuously.

_'What am I doing?'_

That question had bothered me for some time now, ever since the day I met Luffy and joined him I only meant to get off the island and find my way home but suddenly came with a chilling knowledge I am in another world that was a perverse version of the original pirates and buccaneers a person usually sees in texts books, stories, or even screen theaters. The more days I spent in this place, the more strange and absurd it got.

People granted power by cursed fruits? Pirates having a weapon that blast down houses in one shot? Creatures that are much bigger and vicious than what you usually see from behind the safety of zoo cages? It kept getting stranger and stranger the more I went further with them.

Why am I still with them, I can just simply accept that I am indeed in another world and just settle down somewhere in a seemingly normal village that had no excitement or danger.

But a part of me, something deep down in me, believed that just maybe... just maybe I can find a way back home. I just had to go look for it somewhere. I just had to try and look, I just had to try for mama and dad because I promised dad that I would come back home and leave for my education. And I wanted to be the best big brother for that baby that would come to the world crying and screaming their lungs out just to show they're alive.

Luffy and Zoro, and maybe Nami, are the only few people I can hope to trust in helping me find home. Despite two of them being pirates and the other being a thief that sailed the seas, they had morals unlike that of the other kind of pirates and thieves I've got myself tangled with in the last 72 hours.

**_BANG!_**

The sound startled me so bad I fall back on my ass, next I can hear a sword quickly being unsheathed and the boat rock from the weight of someone moving. I get back on feet with little difficulty, eyes trained on the forest where Luffy and Nami disappeared—

"Shit!" I cuss, limping my way to the forest.

"Oi, teme! Wait up!"

"No," I snap, turning back and pointing at the boat. "You stay there and don't move!"

Zoro gives me_ 'are-you-crazy-as-fuck?'_ look before he opens his mouth to argue back that he was going with me and I really didn't want to get in a full out argument. The last resort I can pull up is giving the green-haired swordsman's one of my dad's _'don't-fuck-with-me'_ look.

"Don't move from there!" I commanded very firmly then whipping around to run into the forest in search of Luffy and Nami, praying that they are alright and unharmed by whoever is shooting at them.

It took me 5 minutes to realize one important thing; what the hell am I gonna do? I'm not armed, my leg is too banged up to help me run properly, and I wasn't some super strong fighter! So how am I, a young fisherman that knew only how to catch fish, going to help two people against a gun-armed crazy—

"Oof!" I let out as I fall over on the forest ground and picking myself up. "Ow..."

"Oink!" I froze at the sound, slowly looking over my shoulder to find the source.

"What the...?" I trail off, my mind dumbstruck at the sight.

It was a pink pig... with a lion's mane? I turn away from the creature, blinking a few times and wondering if my leg is infected so bad that I'm imagining weird things that only people getting high can only come up with. I return my gaze over my shoulders but the damn mutant lion-pig is still there and it's biting my leg!

"OW! WHAT THE HELL? GET OFF ME!" I roar while shaking my leg wildly in panic as I can feel it's sharp teeth begin to break through the fabric of my jeans. "_GET OFF ME_!"

"Hey, stop waving him around like that!" a voice boomed almost next to my ear, making me wince at the volume.

Nami and Luffy are standing a little away from me where I am lying while getting mauled by the freakish mutant lion-pig, watching me with curiosity and some concern but they aren't what I am focused on. There in front of me is a short grizzly-looking fella with dark green afro hair that could have been mistaken as some bush blending with the forest that grows out of an open treasure chest. His face big, wide, and hairy, the unibrow really creeping me out...

"What are you doing?" he demands, glaring at me with those beady eyes of his.

"_What am I doing_?" I echoed the man with a bewildered look when I finally find my composure, I gesture wildly to the lion-pig. "Porky Pig*** **here thought it was a good idea to go carnivore with me being on the main menu!"

"You scared him is all!" the bush-haired shorty snaps.

"I scared him? _HE SCARED ME_!" I roar with outrage and point an accusing finger at the bastard. "_AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU_?"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Beach }-¤-¤-¤-**

Gaimon, the single resident of the island and self-proclaimed guardian of the forest that was the home of various hybrid animals had been stuck in that chest after an incident that left him stranded on the land after his fellow pirates abandoned him.

For 20 years, Gaimon had been protecting treasure chests that he couldn't reach on top of a steep hill due to his... condition, but with Luffy's help (after they got past the skirmish between them), they discovered that the chests have been empty the whole time. Something that Gaimon had feared very greatly, the possibility of his mind shattered from the idea but Luffy's carefree nature brought back some senses to the poor man.

And Luffy just offered Gaimon and open spot in his crew...

"No thank you," Gaimon happily stated, the lion-pig, fox-chicken, snake-rabbit, and other mutant animals gathered around the familiar figure that's been their protector for so long. "But I would like to remain here and continue as the Forest Guardian, after all, people will do anything to get these very rare animals."

A man who had been lost in nature for so long begins to see the beautiful side of it, they become part of the nature that they completely let go of themselves to live freely. It's like that saying; you can take the person out of the jungle, but you can never take the jungle out of the person.

This place is imprinted deeply in Gaimon's heart, along with the inhabitants of the island, I can see very well that the animals felt very mutual with the bush-haired man stuck in the chest.

"You're a rare and precious animal too, ojii-san!" Luffy compliments, I and Nami barely contain our chuckle by the man's violent reaction to it.

"_I'LL KILL YOU_!"

Finding numerous fruits and vegetation for our trip, we all headed back to the boats and I nearly scoff and roll my eyes to see Zoro taking a nap on the boat. But I am glad he at least listened to me for once and stayed put, saving us any more trouble from having to drag a profusely bleeding swordsman. Well, I'm not much better myself, but I'll survive.

"I hope you reach for your dreams, Luffy!" Gaimon said as we begin to push the boats back into the ocean. "Go and find your crew! Go and find ONE PIECE!"

_'Dreams...'_

Something that I hadn't thought about for some time, not like I can now considering I just landed in some strange world that the ocean went on forever in and the people and creatures just getting more odd as the days went by.

We waved our farewells to Gaimon and the animals, before being interrupted by a loud yawn. I turn to face and I smile as Zoro blinks out his sleepiness and looks around, finding all three of us before he opened his mouth and asked,

"What'd I miss?"

I simply laugh and lean back on the rail of the boat, watching the two boats sail off to find a different island.

* * *

><p>I let out, what probably seemed, the 1000th sigh that afternoon.<p>

Nami is on that ranting mood about Luffy's naive thinking in sailing to the Grand Line on these two boats. I don't know much about this world's strange geography but I know that the Grand Line must be important as everyone make it seem. But when you hear people explain how important the Grand Line is after so many times, you begin to lose interest and just tune out.

"Ahou! Are you listening?" I hear Nami screech.

_'Probably going at Luffy again—'_

_**Thonk!**_

"Ow!" I sit up straight and glare directly at the orangette who is returning the look as well. "I heard you so many times about the issue on the Grand Line! My God woman, you're like a broken record!"

"It's to make sure you don't forget!"

"I pretty much got that scarred into my list!"

"I'll give you another scarring if you doze off again!"

"Whatever..." I huff and fall back in my seat, totally trying to ignore Zoro's laughing at me being scolded by the woman.

Keyword; _trying_.

"Shut yer pie hole, pea green!"

Zoro, the man who believed to be wearing the pants in this whole group, puffed his chest in offense of my smack talk and verbally attacked me.

"Baka! You wanna fight me?"

His hands are on his swords, all good humor lost and immediately my mind's eye is thinking back to that time—_swords brandished quickly, a body falling apart in pieces, an unfamiliar and unwelcome gleam in his eyes, no remorse, no fear, nor hesitation_—

"Reuben?"

His hands are still at the handle of his swords. The world around me mute and the only thing I can hear is the sound of my own heart that was slowly speeding up the longer I watched him. Finally, Zoro let loose of his hold on the blades and we both watch each other warily in the calm as the boat sailed. I'm breathing in and out through my nose, trying to calm my still fast beating heart and I know they all can sense me panicking from the inside.

Luffy suddenly walks between Zoro and I before flopping down on his butt and sitting Indian-style, not bothering to say why he didn't want to sit at the front of the boat he liked being at. But either way, I'm grateful for that, because I didn't want that awkwardness to come between me and Zoro. It's hard enough as it is, me getting scared every time his hands are on the handle of his swords, keeping a safe distance from the swordsman because being near him freaked me out.

That fear remained with me, seeped into my bones and itching at my nerves. And the sad thing? Everyone knew it.

Nami knew it.

Luffy knew it.

And Zoro knew it.

I feel like an asshole for not appreciating the swordsman's effort in protecting me and the others, but I couldn't shake away the wrongness and fear in seeing a person killing another out of self-defense, I could not forget those black eyes that were emotionless as Zoro easily dispatched Buggy like the guy wasn't much of an effort. I freakin' nearly died because I couldn't kill that stupid coffin that tried to kill me so many times, I only thanked God Luffy got me out of that situation.

"There's an island coming up," Nami announces, breaking the ice for us all. Inside our heads, we are all thanking her so much for the change of subject.

Some 30 minutes later, we're tying the boats to some rocks so that they won't drift off while on our stay here to see if we can find any luck on getting our hands on a bigger boat that could handle the Grand Line. Zoro stretches his legs and arms, shaking off the stiffness for being on the boat for long.

"Man, it's been so long since I've touched land!" Zoro yawns.

"That's because you've been sleeping." Luffy supplies.

"Oh yeah, I've noticed awhile ago," Zoro points a finger at the direction of the hills where we all turned heads to look. "What are those kids doing there?"

I blinked my eyes a couple times, wondering for a brief moment if my mind is playing tricks because my leg might be infected by the lack of heat around the wound suggested it remained clean and untouched by whatever bacteria is floating around in the air. The figure is still there and looking the same as I first saw them.

A boy with a freakishly_ loooong_ nose dressed in nothing but brown overalls, a square pattern bandana that kept his hair back, brown boots, and satchel.

What the hell is up with these people in this world...?

The little kids behind long-nose scurry off leaving a dust trail. We avert our attention back to the guy, he looked jumpy and nervous but puts up a brave front and makes a superhero pose I've seen Superman pull on television.

"I am the great pirate fleet leader, Ussop! I am in charge of security in this village!" he proudly proclaims with a wide smile on his face. "I am also known as _'Captain Usopp'_!"

We stared at him with our most blank faces we could pull off.

He coughed in his fist before continuing. "It's best you don't try and attack this village! My 80,000,000 men are itching for a fight, so don't make me call them if you try and pick a fight."

"Yeah right, Pinocchio*****." I scoff at the obvious lie.

"Agh! I've been caught!" the dark curly-haired boy screeches is horror.

"_Aha_! He even admits it!" Nami pointed out.

"_Crap_!"

"_Shishishi_! You're very funny!" Luffy laughs at the long-nosed boy.

"S-SHUT UP! Don't underestimate me!" Usopp hisses at Luffy. "Out here, I am known as the_ 'Honorable Ussop'_!"

"Whatever happened to _'Captain Usopp'_?" I smirk at him as he pauses for a moment, debating which nickname he prefurred. "Hey, do you know of any doctor around here?"

"Hm?" he blinked out of his thinking, giving me a quick once over and finally taking the haggard look on my form. "What in the world _happened_ to you?"

"Life happened." I reply. "So, doctor?"

"Ah, uh, okay..."

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Syrup Village }-¤-¤-¤-**

I let out a sigh of huge relief the moment I step out of the doctor's office, Zoro following behind me since his own wound had healed mostly over the travel at sea. Something of which I think is too superhuman.

"So, how'd it go?" Nami is the first to ask as me and Zoro approach her, Luffy, and Usopp that had been waiting outside since the doctor didn't need people that didn't have injuries. That and Luffy refused to stop touching the doc's things.

"I'm walking out alive, aren't I?" Zoro rolls his eyes at her and she only glares at him.

"Jerk!"

"Lets go eat!" Luffy demands as he follows the scent of food that eventually lead to a tavern. "FOOD~!"

"Shut up, Luffy."

10 minutes later inside the tavern, Usopp leans back against the chair after hearing our side of the story of why we arrived on the island as we all simply ate, making sure to keep Luffy's gluttonous behavior on a down low.

"So you're looking just to recruit new crew mates and find a ship?"

"Yup." Luffy confirmed as he viciously chews through another plate of meat.

I slowly began to lose my appetite by merely watching the rubber brat eat all the food away like he was a humanoid vacuum, if anything, it was like watching something out of the _National Geographic _channel. I push my plate away and Luffy immediately zeros in on it, snatching the meal from the plate and sucking it up like the black hole* that he is.

"Well, there is one place I can think of that has a ship." Usopp spoke up. "Although it's not the biggest ship, a ship is a ship."

"And where would we find it?" Nami asks.

"There's a mansion not far from the village, a wealthy family and all..." we, being Nami and myself, shared a small worried look. Luffy and Zoro didn't care at all, just happy to hear there's a ship. "The ship belongs to the mansion's owner."

"You make it sound like we're dealing with one person." I point out, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Yeah, well you see," Usopp leans back on his chair. "There's a sick girl that is bed ridden, barely having the strength to go out on her own..."

"Oba-san! Another plate!" Luffy orders with a mouthful of meat, it earned him a smack on the back of his head by me.

"Don't open yer mouth aroun' me, ya moron!" I hiss, not wanting to get spewed by his disgusting mushy food.

"_ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING_?" Usopp demands, his mouth full of fangs and eyes in white hot anger.

"Go on," Nami instists, ignoring mine and Luffy's squabbling.

"Ah well, I hear that almost a year ago the girl lost her parents in sickness. It left her the mansion, the large inheritance, and over ten servants loyally serving under her."

There was a silent moment between us all. Luffy, for once, quietly chewed his food and stared at the wall between Zoro and Nami, looking thoughtful and taking all the information given to him by the long-nosed village boy. My mind is elsewhere as well, thinking about my family and how they're taking my disappearance. Hearing the story of that sick girl is making me want to so badly find a way out of this place where I can go home and tell them in person I'm alright.

That I'm still alive.

"No matter how much money a person has, it still doesn't heal your pain and sorrows."

From across me and Luffy, Nami dips her head and lets out a loud sigh.

"Forget it. Lets go somewhere else and find another ship, okay?" she looks at Luffy, her deep brown eyes pleading silently.

"Okay!" the strawhat pirate agrees easily, I roll my eyes at him. Or maybe, some other part of my brain said, he understood the meaning of what was happening. "But first, lets buy some more meat!"

"Boy, by the time your 30 you're gonna be high on cholesterol." I shake my head at him when the tavern lady brings in more meat. Poor woman cooking her ass off in having a customer like Luffy, I'd feel sorry for any chef cooking for this guy.

"Cholesterol...?" Luffy looks at me with such wide-eyed wonder, I let out a small huffing laugh and look away. Unbelievable, he's like one of those brats that just learned a new word and had trouble pronouncing it.

"Oh yeah, you said earlier you're looking for new recruits to join you, right?" everyone turns their attention on Usopp, wondering if he would volunteer and they'd have the fourth member.

"Yes?" Zoro quirks a brow at him.

"Let me be the captain and I'll join you!" Usopp boldly said, giving the best pirate grin he could come up with. Probably practiced it so many times in front of a mirror I suppose.

. . .

"Never mind." everyone chimes, looking anywhere but Usopp. I raised by brows until they disappeared in my sou'wester.

"What kind of attitude is that?"

* * *

><p>Usopp left the table not long after the refusal, leaving us all on our own devices to do pretty much whatever. I roll my eyes as another plate is served to Luffy and I looked at the other guys.<p>

"How are we gonna pay for this chump's bill?"

"We slip out, of course. There's no way I'm paying so much berri for this!"

"_Berri_...?" I stare at her with a confused look.

She gives me an odd look. "You know... berri? The currency?"

"That's a weird name to call a currency." I snort at her.

She squints her eyes at me. "Where are you from anyway?"

Her question made me pause. Of all the times I've been here, no one has ever asked me that question and it left me completely dumbstruck right there. Everything told me to shut my mouth and not speak because once they hear that I'm not from this world I'd probably get kicked to the curve because of the crazy nonsense coming out of my mouth. I would most likely turn my head away if a guy told me they were traveling through time and space as well.

"Hello?" I blink out of my thoughts and faces a waving hand in front of me. "Are you going to answer me?"

I notice by now that Zoro is watching me, observing me carefully like we had just crossed paths with each other. Two people are now waiting for an answer at where I am from.

"I'm not from around here, that's for sure." I simply reply and continue when Nami opens her mouth to argue on how stupid my answer is. "And that's all you need to know."

"That's not an answer!" Nami glares at me and I meet with a blank look.

**_SLAM!_**

"Usopp Pirates are here!" three young voices shouted at the top of their lungs, startling some people.

"Oh boy, it's those kids again..."

"I'm gonna have a talk with their mothers after this."

"Hahaha! What a bunch of cute kids."

The other customers looked none to bothered about the appearance of three boys whom vaguely looked very much like the vegetables of an onion, pepper, and carrot with the way their hair-style is.

Onion-boy looked a little chubby from eating so much, wore square-framed glasses, a blue life jacket with a pale yellow shirt underneath, a sash with brown short and dark boots. Spice-of-life kid wore a green shirt with a pirate logo imprinted on it, a dark green sash, blue shorts, and dark boots. Carrot-top wore an orange beanie with the same pirate logo to make it a carrot-esque appearance, dark hoodie sweater, brown sash, beige shorts, and dark boots.

"Who are they suppose to be?" I ask out loud as the three kids approach our table. "The Pirate Who Don't Do Anything*****?"

"_What_...?" Zoro looks at me with furrowed brows.

"H-hey, you guys!" one of them, the pepper-kid, stutters and trying to put a brave face. "W-what have y-you done with our captain?"

"I, I don't s-see him here!" onion-kid spoke up, his voice slowly pitching higher and higher as he spoke and breaking out in cold sweat.

Luffy pulls away from drinking down his food and lets out a content sigh. "That was some good meat!"

It caused all the kids to go bug-eye with horror.

"_HE ATE HIM_!" they screeched altogether.

I snickered behind the back of fish, letting my shoulders tremble at the sheer hilarity of these kids thinking we did something like eating their buddy Usopp. I can't remember the time when I felt something like that as a little kid, thinking of the worse when the adult with just messing with my head to freak me out of my wits.

"You're captain," I look up as Zoro offered a dark and cruel smile, amusement shining in his eyes as he looked down at the trembling boys. "We the bones and all..."

"_WAAAAH_,_ ONIBABA_!" they all shrieked at the top of their lungs, their eyes glued on Nami. Whatever they just said, riled the woman to snap at them.

"_WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME_?" the kids fainted and she whirled to face Zoro. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? TELLING THEM THOSE WEIRD THINGS!"

I lean over the table and trembled with laughter, feeling sharp slaps at the back of my head I knew are Nami from trying to get me to stop laughing. I can't help it really, I hadn't laugh like this for what seemed forever. I never felt this really good since... I don't know when. I finally sit up straight, wiping the tears out of the corner of my eyes, ignoring Nami's evil eye and I make my way around Luffy somehow to get out of the booth and crouch over the kids. I tap the carrot-kid's shoulder, shaking him awake.

"We were just playing with ya!" I laugh a little with a grin on my face. "Usopp just left to go somewhere is all."

"Really?" they all snap up from the floor so fast I nearly jumped back, all of them looking at me with wide eyes.

"Yeah," I nod and take a seat at the edge of mine and Luffy's side of the booth. "The name's Reuben."

"I'm Luffy!" Luffy greets from my shoulder, grinning down at the kids.

"Zoro."

"Nami." the orangette mutters, still mad about whatever they called her.

"Well, I'm Piiman." pepper-kid introduces himself, giving me a hesitant smile.

"I-I'm Tamanegi!" the onion-kid speaks up afterwards.

"Ninjin." the last of the three says.

After things settled down, we told the boys about what happened at the beach, to the doctor's house, and then here inside the tavern. Usopp left after announcing that he had to go because of a certain time coming up.

"It must be that time again."

"Care to explain?" Nami looks at them with intrigue of what they were talking about.

"Captain Usopp is going to the mansion for a visit." Piiman supplies.

"Wait, why is he going there?" Luffy asks.

"To tell lies!" all three boys said with grinning faces.

There was a pregnant pause between us all, looking at the boys with blank expressions.

"Say what?" I look at them like they grew extra heads or something.

"Isn't that a bad thing to do?" Luffy said.

"No, it's good!" Piiman said.

"It's great actually!" added Tamanegi.

"I believe there is more to this story...?" I looked at the kids and they all nod.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Syrup Village Mansion }-¤-¤-¤-**

"Kinda big." Zoro commented on the structure of the building.

"I've seen bigger." I said with my hands tucked in my pants pockets.

Piiman, Tamanegi, and Ninjin explained at the tavern why Usopp visited the girl, Kaya, after the loss of her parents. Her illness getting better slowly from every made-up tale he conjured up to bring happiness and joy. The servants always tried to keep the boy out but Usopp always found a way in to comfort the girl and put a big smile on her face.

"He's a sure nice guy!" Luffy complimented before announcing something else entirely. "Lets go ask the lady for a ship!"

Everyone else ignored Nami's request that Luffy reconsidered in asking the girl something like that. But like always, Luffy just went and did his own thing, regardless the consequences.

I had to agree with Luffy though. That Ussop guy, he's really nice for doing something like that for her.

"Good afternoon!" Luffy calls to the mansion. "Will you lend us a ship?"

I thought I heard a cricket chirp.

"Let's just go in." Luffy said as he climbs his way up the iron gate.

"Typical." I said from next to Nami as we watch Luffy and the kids climb over the gates. "He's gonna be a great role model to the young ones, I can see."

"Don't even go there." Nami sighs, crossing her arms.

"We better go after him then." Zoro said and climbs the iron gates.

I had some trouble, due to my injury on the leg but with some help I managed by way up and followed after the rest of everyone, looking for somewhere besides the main entrance to the mansion. I've never done something so stupid in my life like entering someone's property, it'd only get me yelled at or taken by the police. But I suppose after meeting Luffy, I've become one of those kids that start following and doing what everyone else is doing, completely going against what my parents had taught me.

"_Ehhh_?" I hear from ahead and I hurry to turn the corner and spot Usopp leaning up against a tree looking more than ever surprised to see us. "Why are you guys here?"

"We brought this guy to see Kaya!" the Tamanegi replies, pointing at Luffy.

"Ussop-kun, who are these people?"

A girl is leaning out of her open window to see us, I can see very easily of how pale and frail-looking the girl is that this is the one that everyone is talking about; Kaya. Shoulder length pale blond hair, dark brown eyes, a white sleeveless nightgown. Yep, this woman really fit the sick rich girl profile.

"Are you the owner of the mansion?" Luffy asks and the girl nods her head in confirmation, wondering what a complete stranger wants with her.

"These guys here traveled far and wide to meet a famous guy like me!" Usopp interrupts, slinging an arm around Luffy and mine's shoulders. "They've begged me to join my crew!"

"What are you doing? Trying to impress a pretty girl?" I nudge the guy's ribs to tease him.

Kaya is a pretty girl, after all.

"W-What?" Usopp squawks at me with his gaping mouth, looking utterly appalled of the idea. "_WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT_?"

"A request?" we hear Kaya say.

"Uh-huh! We need a big ship!" Luffy spreads his arms of how big he was talking about yet didn't stretch out like he would usually do so, he probably didn't want to freak the girl out with his rubber tricks.

"What are you doing?" a voice demands from a few feet away.

All eyes turned to an approaching man dressed in a fine black suit with fine gold trims and designs, shiny shoes to match with his proper look and all. His dark hair slicked back and dark framed glasses glinting from the sunlight, I really couldn't see his eyes. He stopped near Kaya's window and greeted us with his cold eyes when he took to the shade.

"Ugh, it's the butler..." Usopp mutters under his breath, his disdain of this guy obvious and I couldn't help but agree that there was something about him I just didn't like.

"Clahador! These people—" Kaya begins to explain on our behalf but is silenced by a raised hand by the man.

"You don't need to explain. You can tell me later, oujo-sama." he tells her and faces us. "Please get out, is there something you need to say?"

"I want a ship."

"No."

I quirk a brow at the man. Okay, I can understand a butler taking a handle of things when a bratty, rich kid is becoming too much of a trouble to deal with and give them a stern attitude but Kaya had yet to exhibit any of those things. She wasn't those spoiled, vain, snobby people I've seen and known, she was fair and kind. This guy was walking all over her and he wasn't giving her the chance to speak!

"So, you're the son of that _filthy_ pirate." all thoughts going on my head came to halt, making me snap back to the present. "I'm not surprised with the way you turned out, but keep your bad influence to yourself and not pass it onto my oujo-sama."

"Usopp's dad... was a pirate?" Luffy blinked in surprise, as are Nami and Zoro.

"Don't you talk about that with my dad!" Usopp snapped, face darkening at the butler.

"You and the lady of this house are complete opposites! If it's money you're looking for, then name your price."

I took a mental step back from how fucking surprised I am. Usopp was seething in anger at the bastard totally going judgement on him and the girl, Kaya, was no better. She looked as white as paper, surprised as we are of the man's words. She reacts with a furious slam of her hands on the window sill and lets out a loud yell.

"YOU APOLOGIZE TO HIM RIGHT NOW, CLAHADOR!"

"Why?" Clahador asked like he didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing. "There is no need to apologize to this uncivilized person here."

This guy, I thought as I watched him with growing unease and boiling anger, I really don't like how he talks down on Usopp.

"I feel bad for you, you must hate your father. Giving up his family and village to join a bunch of pathetic sea dogs to find treasure."

"CLAHADOR!" Kaya shouted, hands tightly gripping the edges of the window. "_STOP IT_!"

"I won't let you say any more bad things about my dad!" Usopp growls, glaring at the older man with his fists clenched to his sides.

**_Ba-bump..._**

"Why are you so angry? That man you called a father abandoned you and you're defending him?"

_**Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump...**_

"You're not very smart. Tell you what? Why don't you put that lying skill of yours to use..."

_**Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump!**_

"And tell them your father is some merchant, or that he isn't your father at all."

"_WAAAH_!" Usopp lunged forward, pulling his hand back to strike—

"Hold up, Cul-de-sac*****!"

Usopp blinks at the feel of something holding him back and looks over his shoulder to see the cause; me. I got my arm draped around his shoulder and grabbing onto his overall, holding him back from attacking the jackass butler that kept egging him on.

"Hey! Lemme go!" Usopp shouts, struggling against my hold. "I'm going to kick his _ASS_!"

"Sorry," everyone blinked in surprise of my apology, even the butler. "We shouldn't have invaded private property, and for that, please forgive everyone here. Including Usopp."

"Well, at least someone has his head on his shoulders right." the butler pushes his glasses up by the heel of his hands. "Very well, apology accepted."

"_You_...!" Usopp glared at me, gritting his teeth and probably thinking all kinds of nasty thoughts of me.

"Oh really?" I smile at the butler boyishly. "That's good."

**_WHAM!_**

Usopp's eyes widen in total shock, the others doing the same as well from the complete out-of-character surprise. Kaya letting out a startled cry with her frightened wide eyes, the three kids bug-eyed, Luffy and the gang just utterly gobsmacked.

I fucking punched the butler so hard my knuckles are bloody.

"Me on the other hand," I growled out as I glared down at the man. "**_I don't care if you do forgive me_***!"

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

The Boy who Cried "Wolf!" - The tale concerns a shepherd boy who repeatedly tricks nearby villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking his flock. When a wolf actually does appear, the villagers do not believe the boy's cries for help, and the flock is destroyed. The moral at the end of the story shows that this is how liars are not rewarded: even if they tell the truth, no one believes them.

Porky Pig - Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, appearing a chunky pink pig who has the tendency to stutter.

Pinocchio - Carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, he was created as a wooden puppet, but dreamed of becoming a real boy. Pinocchio is often a term used to describe an individual who is prone to telling lies, fabricating stories and exaggerating or creating tall tales for various reasons.

Black Hole - A term used in my family when the guys eat away until there's nothing left on the plate and simply move onto the next dish served with it. It is by all means both fascinating and disgusting. At the record, we have five black holes in the family! X3

The Pirate Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales film is an animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables of a cucumber, a gourd, and a grape.

Cul-de-sac - A quote used in an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Will is from Mars. Used metaphorically to mean a line of thought or action that leads nowhere.

Naruto - On chapter 286 of the manga, Naruto, there was a situation similar to the fight between Usopp and Clahador but with my original character pulled into the mix. I thought it looked pretty cool.


	8. War on the Shore

**A/N: **Yeah, sorry about not updating for some time. Thank you for the awesome reviewing by the way, this is really cool stuff I'm hearing and I hope to do right further along the way as the story progresses. It's a lot of fun writing this, I sometimes lose interest but there is always something that brings me back to continue writing the OP characters. I especially like Reuben's story, there are something things I plan and other stuff I've yet to figure out for myself but this is what I get for wanting to create a very interesting and complex character. After all, I want to give you guys the best of the best of what I have to offer otherwise this whole idea of a very great OC character is just a big waste of space.

Like I've said earlier, I don't like Mary Sues/Gary Stus so we always have to walk on thin ice to make it across to the other side. I hope to do well on updating the character, and since I'm a girl myself, this is gonna be a whole lot tough. I mean, I'm trying to make the character a lot human and someone you can relate to but I don't want to make him out to be a total sissy or wuss for the guys who are reading this to say _"what the hell?"._ We may know some guys, but we really don't KNOW about them, you see what I mean? Anyway, remember to read and review!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Oda-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 7 - War on the Shore**

**—**

My mind is still reeling over what happened half an hour ago.

I punched that son of a bitch in the face and my hand just won't stop bleeding.

The security guards returned from their lunch break and heard the commotion, rushing in and getting ready to pull out their guns when they saw me standing over the butler with his nose and mouth bleeding but Kaya stepped in. She pleaded for us to leave, having enough of the excitement that did no good for her poor health and we all agreed to do so as requested by the lady.

Ussop decided he wanted to be alone, running off elsewhere with a flustered look on his face, him giving me one last mean glare before taking off the opposite direction from everyone. Every man has their pride, the pride to stand up and defend themselves or someone dear to them that was not at the present to defend him or herself and I just went and ruined it for the kid. Luffy following after the poor guy, and I could trust Luffy to go and help cheer the guy because that's the kind of guy the rubber brat is.

Everything is too quiet around everyone that decided to stay together while Luffy and Usopp sorted things out. But I can hear my heart thumping against the cage of my ribs, so loud and thunderous. I'm still angry. My back is a little hunched forward, my shoulders tense, my steps wide and quick, my hands still in fists, and my face dark and twisted. Still thinking about those words that made me livid as long-nose. And I don't even know where I'm heading to in the first place, I just had to simply stomp on some random road.

"We should go see the doctor." Nami speaks, breaking the tense silence between us all.

"No." my answer is quick and sharp, making her falter a bit and I know without looking that she is surprised by my attitude.

"Your hand looks like it hurts**—**"

"I don't care." I retort to her coldly.

"You know, you don't have to be a jerk about it!" she snaps at my back, becoming riled up herself.

"Whatever." I brush her off, continuing on the road.

I hear Zoro scoff behind me and mutter, "And they say I'm the bad one."

I whirl around and snarl at his face. "At least I didn't try to kill him!"

Everything froze.

I don't need to see the others expressions to know how appalled and shocked they are of what they are hearing coming out of my mouth, my eyes glaring holes at the green-haired swordsman that stood stiff as a rock and blank as paper. I've been holding it off now for so long, everyone pretending that all is well and nothing is wrong with this picture. But the feeling inside me kept dragging on and digging deeper, it was like a small little itch I've chosen to ignore and it slowly escalated to a rash that I so badly wanted to scratch off until I was bleeding. We couldn't ignore the big elephant in the room any longer, the strain getting harder and deeper between me and Zoro. Me and him are locked on each others eyes, none of us daring to look away or back down. I know he felt the guilt for what had happened that day that completely changed my view of him, and even the others, but I can't let go of it! I can't look past this man that made it a living to hunt and cut down anyone outside of the law. I can't look past this man that regarded human life as nothing but something that was easy to take away, how he felt bigger because of how simple it is to just dig his swords through their hearts and wait for the person to just stop living.

Something felt tight around me, my mind slowly easing out of the thoughts of how many people did Zoro kill and I realize that someone is just holding onto my arm so tightly that it was nearly cutting off the blood circulation.

"Stop it," I hear Nami say quietly from beside me. "_Please_. Stop it."

**_Ba-bumpba-bumpba-bump!_**

"It was self-defense," she whispered lowly. "Buggy was going to kill us..."

**_ba-bump, ba-pump, ba-bump..._**

"So please stop treating him like he's going to kill _you_ the second you turn your back."

**_ba-bump, ba-bump... ba-bump... ba-bump..._**

I slowly drift my eyes away from him, my head turning until I'm gazing at the spread out houses of the island, watching some people working on their crops and livestock. Everything is so different and strange, but if you looked at it the right way, you can see how similar the people here are to my world.

I feel the sudden exhaustion catching up to my body because of my heart calming down, the adrenaline pumping inside me coming down from the high, the frightening and exciting experiences all jumbled together and creating tiredness and stress on my poor body. The past few days have been hectic since day one with Luffy finding me, the riot against that corrupted marine, the big scare against Buggy, the life and death battle with the coffin, and small fight with the butler.

I felt like shit.

We stand there in the middle of the quiet road in dead silence, no on daring to speak. The two kids feeling really out of place between the adults that were just arguing. Probably their first time in witnessing something serious, a kind of thing no child should ever have to listen or watch. After a while, I walk over to a nearby wooden fence and settle down on it, not too soon everyone is joining me.

I hold my hand out, the one that's bleeding, and I'm beginning to wonder if that doctor is still available but rebuff the idea seconds later. The cuts are small but are a little deep, and the cool air breezing by in the fine weather are just making my hand sting that I hold it closer to my chest to block the wind. I'm getting way too familiar with blood now these days.

I hate the smell of copper. It makes me sick.

A small tap on my left foot and I see Ninjin nervously offering me a handkerchief. With a quiet thanks I take the white cloth and fold it tightly and securely around my knuckles. Slowly the small-talk came easily to the two kids and soon enough Nami and eventually Zoro are joining in, asking about the village and what exciting things happen.

"Where's your other friend?" Nami notices the lack of the third party of the small pirate gang.

"Tamanegi? He usually disappears somewhere..." Piiman explained to us.

"And comes back to spout exciting stuff." Ninjin adds.

"Waaah!" we all hear and our heads shoot up to see the chubby boy run his way towards us. "We're in trouble!"

"What is it this time?" Piiman sighs exasperated as he stands up to face the approaching boy.

"There's a guy walking backwards coming this way!"

"_You're lying_!" Piiman and Ninjin shot him down, but Tamanegi only pointed a finger to the road behind him.

"See?"

Sure enough, a man in a dark indigo blazer, a green-brown trousers with a darker fedora is coming this way, but he wasn't walking backwards... he was moon walking backwards. I squinted my eyes at the man and felt a sense of familiar coming over me the closer the man came to us, standing up from the bench so that I can get a good look at him to see what the answer is to the mystery to my question; who moves like that?

The man reaches us and his face suddenly hits me with a ton of bricks, I can't believe who I'm actually looking it. It's like every fan's dream to meet this one guy in person!

"No way..."

"Reuben?" Nami called behind me. "What is it? Do you know this guy?"

I couldn't answer, too busy watching the man move until he reached us and snapping at the kids of how rude it is to be called a weirdo but I ignore all that. The man's heart-shaped sunglasses turn to my direction and I totally ignore how blond he is and how weird the goatee is for a person like him.

"Michael Jackson*****?" I take a step forward in awed wonder.

"_WHO IS THAT_?" everyone yells out loud with gawking expressions pointed at my back.

"_Hmph_. Another rude guy. Mistaking me for someone else!" the Jackson-esque man spins away from me. "I'm just your average hypnotist. Jango is the name."

"Jango...?"

"Oh, cool! A hypnotist!" Piiman cheers.

"Hey, can you do a trick?" Tamanegi asks the older man with undisguised enthusiasm.

"Are you kidding me? Is everyone in this town this rude as to come and demand a complete stranger to perform a simple _'trick'_ ?" Jango scoffs at the rest of the kids, resting a hand on his fedora. "Besides, why would I want to show my skills to a bunch of snot-nosed brats?"

Not a moment too soon before the three kids could pout and whine that they wouldn't be able to see a performance, a ring hanging from a string is whipped out from the look-alike's coat and presented in full view for everyone to see.

"Look into this ring. When I say _'one, two, Jango!'_ you will fall asleep!"

"Didn't he just say he wasn't going to show off his skills to snot-nosed brats?" Zoro asked out loud.

"A hypnotist?" I raise a skeptical brow at the man's back.

"What?" Nami speaks up from beside me and eying me with a critical look.

"Hypnotism? C'mon!" I wave a hand at the man's direction. "That's stupid!"

"If you're so skeptical why don't you go ahead and take a look." Nami challenges me and I raise both brows at the idea. "Or are you going to eat your own words."

A pregnant pause.

"If I were to**—**and this is all hypothetically, mind you**—**fall asleep," I stare down at her for a moment. "I'm gonna fall asleep on you and you will die from the weight of my body's mass."

"Hypothetically noted." she smirks up at me.

I can't help but smirk a little. She's very quirky, I can see a little of why Luffy wanted to bring her along with us other than her talents with maps and uncanny weather predictions.

"One..." I turn to face the rest, staring at the slowly swinging circle hanging off a thin wire from Jango's gloved fingers.

_'This is utterly ridiculous,'_ I sigh out and cross my arms and continue to watch the spectacle.

"Two..."

_'This looks like the oldest picture in the book! They don't do that pendulum swinging shit with watches or whatever it is they used. They do a countdown while the patient is sleeping or just close to unconsciousness '_

"Jango!"

_'What a jok**—**'_

And a dark blanket came over my vision, my mind suddenly shutting down until there is no more room for me to think.

* * *

><p><em>"Unca! Daddy!"<em>

_"Hey~!" dad grins as I try to run past him only to be caught in his callous hands and lifted high into the air. "Look who's up early!"_

_I grin down at my father as he holds my smaller frame high to the point I can faintly feel the cieling brushing against my short black locks of hair at the top of my scalp, I giggle as he pulls me down and I hug him with all my might. Today my dad and uncle are going to start working at the warehouse because Mr. Hansley promised good pay._

_Good pay means more food on the table, mama said once._

_"Robby put 'im down, he needs to eat breakfast before he goes to the day care." mama comes over to the table where my uncle is sitting quietly and eating anything and everything on the plate._

_"Yeah, yeah," dad settles down on the table with me perched on his lap and taking a bite of his scrambled eggs. His eyes settle back to my face and offers a fork full of spam which I gladly take a bite out of. "Whacha gonna do today?"_

_"I dunno!" my face scrunches up in wonder what Mrs. Glades has in store for me and the rest of my playmates. "I wanna draw more pictures like we did yesterday!"_

_"Oh really?" the young man sitting across from me and dad looks up at me with that smile on his face._

_"Ya-huh!" I nod and begin to recount all the stuff I drew from yesterday that are stored in my cubby between that paste-eating kid Tony and Jason, the dude that plays with sock-puppets. "I'm gonna bring the pictures back home today when mama picks me up!"_

_"I can't wait to see 'em when I come back." he reaches over with his long seemingly-lanky limb and ruffle my head._

_I look at my uncle in confusion._

_"You're leaving...?" I ask him and turn to dad. "Where are you going? I thought you were just gonna go and bring back the fish."_

_"They are, baby," mama said and the answer only makes me frown. "They'll only be gone for a few days."_

_I slouch against dad and my once happy and chipper mood is slowly draining out of me, replacing it with disdain and dread. My dad and uncle are going somewhere and won't be home when I come back, ready to show them the awesome pictures of giant robots, alien cats, and super-powered heroes* that had one common; kicking bad guy's butts._

_"Hey, hey, hey," my uncle gives another one of his charming grins at my direction as he sees my happiness rapidly deteriorate, once again reaching over and grabbing my smaller hand with his own bigger one. "We have to go away for a week for a reason ya know!"_

_I murmur a quiet "why?" that my parents didn't hear it, but my uncle did._

_"We're going off to catch this giant sea-monster!" he uses his arms to spread out the size and width of the creature, waving them to point out the four corners of the small kitchen. "Me and yer daddy are the best sailors, but this thing is the toughest sea monster out there, I hear."_

_I look up to see dad's chin and his lips widening, the chest my back is pressed against twitches and I hear a chuckle vibrate against my neck. I look to mama who is standing over the stove and cooking me some pancakes, her shoulders trembling and her head shaking slightly._

_"So we have to go an' fight this guy for a whole week," my uncle goes on. "And when we do kick his butt and drag him, kicking and screaming, by his hundreds of tentacles, we'll be here before ya know it."_

_I blink up at him for a soundless second before declaring out loud,_

_"You're a liar!"_

* * *

><p>The first thing my conscious mind registers is how cool the air is, much more better and relaxing than the heavy weight of heat bearing down on my body, causing the sweat coming out of my pores.<p>

Another few seconds for my mind to also catch on that I'm not under some cool shade and it's actually dark, the sun disappearing behind the small mountains of this island and coating the world in dark blue/purple/pink shades.

"Finally he wakes up!" I wince at the volume of the sound coming next to my ear as I use the support on my elbows to help prop my upper body up. "Geez, Reuben, you're just as bad as Zoro here, _shishishi_~!"

"_Oi_," someone spoke up, sounding very offended.

"What the hell...?" I croak out, my mouth dry and I notice not for the first time how soury and ugly it tasted. Jesus, when was the last time I brushed my teeth? Or took a bath?

I bet I look pretty nice for the ladies now. Luffy is crouching beside me and seeing that I'm up and functioning, he stands up on his own and offers a hand.

"What happened? And where's that hypno-dude?" I ask as I latch onto Luffy and let him help me up. I also notice a new presence in our small group; Usopp.

I give him a once over and lock onto the bleeding limb that his striped wristband is substituting as a sort of bandage. A grim look over his features and the bleeding arm are all I need to know that something is going on in this once quiet little Syrup Village.

"Someone mind telling me what's going on?" I ask, looking at each of their faces and stopping finally to the long-nose kid. "You alright?"

He gives a small surprised sound with an equal surprised expression pointed at me from my question of his health but it ebbs away. Worry, fear, guilt, and shame crossing up and down, back and forward on him and I must say that I won't be surprised that he can't come up with a good poker-face.

"I'm okay!" he loudly declares, his laughs**—**weak, hurt,_fakefakefake_**—**and waves his one arm at me. "This... this is nothing!"

I stare at him and I see he's pointedly avoiding my gaze, looking at his boots or at the others. Just not me. I let out a sigh and shake my head.

"What a liar,"

"Eh?"

I pull out my dirtied, ripped, bloodied black button-up shirt and rip a piece of cloth to use so I can wrap it properly and tightly so that Usopp doesn't bleed all over the place. Doing quick work, I cast my eyes on him and I'm happy to know he can look me in the eye now, feeling at ease knowing I don't hold any sort of grudge against him for giving me the cold shoulder after I pulled him away from Kaya's mansion.

"So, you gonna finally tell us what's going on here?"

**-¤-¤-¤-{ S. Slope Entrance }-¤-¤-¤-**

"The _BUTLER_?"

First it's the black coffin and now it's a pirate-disguised-as-butler that is no doubt going to have my head for the sucker punch I gave him hours earlier.

After Usopp calmed down somewhat he led us away out of fear and paranoia that someone could be listening and went ahead on explaining just what transpired after he and Luffy left the mansion. The man me and everyone else had met, Jango the Hypnotist, was having a private meeting with the butler, Clahador, and from what Usopp had seen it looked like they were very familiar with each other.

Clahador turned out to be a pirate captain of the Black Cat Pirates, Captain Kuro.

"Have I pissed off someone up there or did I do something really bad in a past life that deserves me always finding myself constantly in a life-threatening situation?" I said out loud up to the starry sky, skeptically believing that someone would provide the answer to all my recent misfortunes.

"I'm actually really happy that you're the one who punched him, _eh heh heh heh_..." Usopp nervously chuckles of the close-call.

And he is lucky! If Usopp had been the one to land the guy a knuckle sandwich then he was the one in big trouble. Now, I don't know any super killer moves to defend myself like everyone else in the group but I know, through enough bar brawls that happened every once and while in the Shipwreck Den, how to fight with my two fists. It wasn't perfect like those MMA fighters***** but it beats having to stab someone.

"So now what?" Nami springs up the question that we've all been thinking.

"I've tried telling the village but..." his mood turning dark and gloomy, his hand clutching the wrapped wound on his arm. "I'm the biggest liar on this island. No matter what I do, they won't believe me."

"Aw, dammit, Usopp..." I curse under my breath and ruffle my hair back from all this hard thinking. I really hate situations like the boy who cried wolf because things just get ugly from then on.

"Tomorrow they will think it's just another peaceful day for them, they don't know that there are heartless pirates ready to come in and take away their lives. But you know what?" Usopp shot to his feet, startling some of us as he continued while his voice began to crack and his eyes began to water. "I don't mind that they chased me or shot me or even called me a liar! I'll make this become another one of my lies! I'll stay here and protect this village because even though they don't like me, _I LOVE THIS VILLAGE_!"

_"I love this village!"_

_"This village is my treasure, I won't let you take it away from me!"_

"You, you really are a good guy." Zoro cracked a small smile at Usopp. "But can you handle fighting those guys all on your own?"

Usopp only bowed his head, thinking of a way to get around that main problem. Dealing against an enemy that had high numbers was the definite problem, if only he really had an army of 80,000,000 men.

"Okay then!" Luffy announces as he cracks his knuckles. "We'll help you!"

"Huh?" the long-nose boy whips his head up in surprise.

"Just to let you know, all the treasure the other team have will all be mine. Got it?"

I'm the last one they all look to.

"Whatever. Let's blow this Popsicle stand."

I just freakin' signed my own death warrant. Again. Usopp looks at each of our faces, getting all watery-eyed again because we're being good Samaritans.

"W-Why...?"

"Because you're really scared." Luffy bluntly pointed out.

"And there IS a lot of blood-thirsty pirates." Zoro added.

"D-don't think I'm a pathetic guy! I'm the brave _'Captain Usopp'_! I can take on take on what they dish out at me!" he declares and looks down to see his legs shaking and tries to still himself but the fear is deep that he can't shake it off. He catches our gaze and snaps at us with ferocity. "_WHAT_? They are the Black Cat Pirates! Of course everybody is going to be scared of those monsters! You got a problem with that?"

"Do we look like we're laughing at you?" I glare at him for a brief moment. "If it's any consolation... I'm a lot more of a scaredy cat than you are. If that were me in your shoes, I would've been running around like a headless chicken still trying to convince everyone that what I'm saying isn't a lie."

"We're actually commending you on your brave efforts." Zoro said and I believe it's the first time I've ever heard him give a compliment but it's better than nothing.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry for you! I'm just getting riled up!" Luffy butts in.

Usopp sobered somewhat but there was that hint of skepticism on his face.

"You don't look scared at all."

"Believe me, if you could just hear it, my heart sounds like there's a stampede going on in there." I offer a weak half-smile to long nose. "I'm scared, too. But it's better to fight alongside with someone than fight alone, ain't it?"

Usopp looked down to his knees and found them still and not shaky-quaky as they had been earlier. The kid looked up and his face erased of the fear and replaced with firm determination that he had to win this fight no matter what.

"I got an idea!"

Few minutes later and we're standing at the top of a steep slope, inspecting everything and analyzing other possible ways for the pirates to be coming in but this was perfect. Absolutely perfect. This is a one way entrance for these jerks to climb their way up and we'd be prepared for them once they got to the top.

"This is good," I tell the others after a quick scan of the area. "Surrounded by cliffs, the slope is steep, advantage at higher point. I'd say this is the perfect place to take out those guys."

"He's right. If we act accordingly without any problems, then Clahador's plan can kiss its ass goodbye." Nami said afterwards.

"That's good and all but there's been something I've been meaning to ask. What are your skills exactly?" Usopp asked with his eyes nervously darting to each of us.

"Cutting."

"Stretching."

"Stealing."

"Fishing."

"Mine is hiding."

"_YOU'RE FIGHTING, TOO_!" we all screamed at his back.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Syrup Village Mansion }-¤-¤-¤-**

The halls cascaded with shadows that crept up the walls, the ceilings, and corners provided by the dim lit candles hanging off the walls, the entire household quiet and calm with no sound.

Silence never sounded so beautiful in his ears.

Clahador crept up quietly like a cat, his eyes focused and face calm to give nothing away. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a butler doing his duty to protect and appease his young mistress. He allowed a small cruel smile to creep onto his lips, his mind playing over and over again of what he had heard during his walk back to the mansion.

_"He's really gone too far, I'm telling you!"_

_"That boy really needs to learn a lesson!"_

_"Unbelievable! I thought the jokes were bad enough but he had the galls to attack that poor girl."_

_"What has gotten into him lately?"_

_"All those ridiculous lies he kept spouting has finally gotten into his head."_

_"Clahador? A pirate? Preposterous!"_

Like he predicted the poor son of the bastard pirate wasn't taken seriously, only shunned and attacked by his own village. Such a twisted and beautiful irony this would be that no one would believe a liar that was telling the truth, he can only imagine the anguish and agony upond their faces when they realize of their mistake to doubt the foolish boy and die as they are cut down by the Black Cat Pirates.

Footsteps, he hears as he stops outside the door, Merry is inside the room.

_'Perfect time to get rid of him.'_ Clahador clutched the bag at his side, hiding something he had hidden away so many years ago since arriving here.

He noisily enters the room, pushing the rim of his glasses by the heel of his hand. Merry looked up from his work on dusting the bookshelf and offered a smile to his fellow companion.

"Well, I hope that your trip went well," Merry said.

"It did, actually, thank you." playing oblivious, he dropped the duffel bag at the top of the table, making sure to keep it at a safe distance from Merry's eyes. "Did something happen while I was out? There seemed to have been a ruckus in the village..."

"Ah," Merry muttered, a grim look on his face. "I don't really understand all that much but... but that boy from earlier, Usopp, he just went stark raving mad!"

"What?" Clahador stiffen to show his surprise. "What happened? Is ojou-sama alright?"

"She's in quite a shock but she's sleeping it off, thankfully. I was so frightened for him hurting the lady that I pulled a gun on him but... but ojou-sama... she..."

"That's the young lady for you, even to scum like that kid, she'll always have a heart sewn on her shirt." Clahador turns away to face the moon lighting up the room of the library.

"He said the strangest things, you know?" Merry gave a small laugh as he pulled out a small box from his pocket. "He called you a pirate!"

"That is strange indeed." Clahador smirked but felt a tap on his shoulder, turning slightly to find a little box wrapped in a pink bow. "What's this?"

"It's a present from ojou-sama!" gushed the sheep-haired butler. "Tomorrow will be the 3rd anniversary of your arrival to this mansion! It's a day to remember!"

"A day to remember?" a pleasant chill ran down the dark-haired man's spine.

"Your glasses always seem to fall off so the young lady had them specially ordered for you. Such a kind heart ojou-sama has, yes?" Merry continued, unaware of the drop of coldness in the dimly lit room.

"A day to remember?" Clahador snickered. "Tomorrow really is a day to remember."

"Hm?" Merry blinked out the small happy tears, finally noticing something cold and uneasy in his chest.

"Tonight is a half-moon night... it kind of makes me feel... wild at heart." he let the box slip from his hands, uncaring of where it landed.

SMASH!

"Wha**—**Why did you do that?" Merry demanded, anger coming over him. "Ojou-sama gave that to you as a present!"

_"Please! Believe me! He's a pirate, Clahador's a PIRATE!"_

The echo of Usopp's words made Merry's heart skip a beat. It couldn't be, the sheep-haired butler denied, Clahador couldn't possibly the man that Usopp kept spouting on about. But the uncharacteristic dark look upon the bespectacled man's face made the wall crumble and the truth find its way through.

"Oh I will get my present from Ojou-sama... but it has nothing to do with little flimsy glasses, thank you very much."

"_You_...!"

"No need to pretend anymore." Clahador reached for his duffel bag, pulling out to reveal something that Merry felt his stomach constrict and heart wanting to break free from his chest. "Tomorrow, it all ends."

"_OJOU-SA_**—**"

Silence.

It sounds so beautiful, Clahador thought.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ S. Slope Entrance }-¤-¤-¤-**

"This'll surely get the job done!"

Oil slicked over the rocks that led up the slope and I have to say this was a bit stupid and childish, like something out of a little kid's cartoon show. But if it's true that it's wet, slippery, and slick enough that people would end up slipping down to the end of where they began and the few that reach the top will only be met by the short end of the stick, sword, fists, and sling-shot.

Yeah. A sling-shot.

But those things do hurt if you use the right weapon.

"You all make sure not to make the mistake in slipping down on this oil, understand?" Nami warned us all.

Luffy was pushing his boundaries, sitting down and using his feet to let it slide on the oil gravel.

"Luffy!" Nami hisses.

"Hm?" the rubber brat looks up to her, trying to look innocent that he wasn't going against her warnings.

"Get up you dummy." I mutter, pulling him up by his armpits and making sure he didn't stand to close to the oil.

"Look," Zoro nodded his head at the direction of the brimming light coming up. "It's morning."

We all stood ready, faces hard and hearts beating wildly at the coming attack because no matter what happens on the slippery slope, we could not allow a single pirate past this point. We can not let a single pirate come past us towards the little sleepy place called Syrup Village, home to Usopp.

We waited. And waited, and kept waiting.

So far, no sign of the pirates.

A small dreadful feeling washed over me when a small thought came to mind.

"Hey, are we on the right spot?" I ask Usopp.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Are you sure this is the only way up here?" I gesture to the slope. "Are you sure they _specifically_ wanted to come through here?"

"..."

"..."

"... Erm..."

"Oh, for the love of God! Usopp!"

"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Nami pipes up, straining her ears.

I shush the other guys that began to squabble, listening intently for a few short seconds before finally hearing the sound of people roaring for battle at the distance. I whip my head at Usopp to see him breaking out in cold sweat.

"Excuse me for my French but Usopp what the _FUCK_?" I demand, pointing at the distance.

"Th-there's another entrance! The North Slope!"

"You had us waiting on the wrong side!" Luffy gawked at long nose.

"You should have told us this first, you idiot!" Zoro snapped, bonking Usopp on the head.

"Goddammit!" I curse.

"There's no point in screaming! Let's just hurry up and go!" Nami snaps me to attention, grabbing me by the strap of my wife beater.

"I just thought that they'd come through hear because they saw us when they were talking there! I'm so sorry!" Usopp rambled as he jogged ahead. "The geography of the Northern Slope is the same here, so if you head North you'll be there in 3 minutes!"

"Hah! I'll get there in 20 seconds!" Luffy loudly announced before darting off in the speed of light.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" Usopp shouted after Luffy, running along the path.

"Oh no!" Nami cried out, in her own despair, as she came to realize something of importance. "My treasure! My treasure is docked on the North Port!"

"Are you _SERIOUS_?" I look at her in bewilderment. We have a life-and-death situation here and all she can worry about is her berri money?

Women here are coming to be cruel, cruel people.

"Hurry, we have to**—**_WAH_!" she slips suddenly, her feet having accidently take foot on the oil. She reaches out blindly and Zoro is the only one in reaching distance.

"What the**—**" Zoro is pulled along down the oil and Nami uses him for the opportunity to climb over him and reach the top. "Hey! You idiot, you get me up there right now!"

"Sorry, no time!" she tells him as she jogs away. "My treasure is in danger!"

And she leaves us both behind.

"What the hell?" I mutter, looking utterly gobsmacked.

"Reuben! Help me up!" Zoro calls down from below.

"How the hell am I suppose to do that?" I shout at him. "I don't have any friggin' ropes!"

"Find a way, dammit!" Zoro snaps back.

"Just try to climb your way up and I'll pull you when you're close!"

And he tried. Again, and again, and again, and so on.

"Fuck! This isn't working!" Zoro curses and I quirk a brow at him. I think I'm becoming a bad influence on him because I've never really hear him curse like that. Ever. "_Reuben_!"

"Huh? Oh, right! Uhm, let me think!"

"Think quickly!"

I look around for any resources, I close my eyes and straining my ears to hear the definite war cry and I can only imagine how everyone is holding up. Luffy is strong but he couldn't possibly hold back a bunch of those bastards, some of them might slip through and it's Nami and Usopp but those guys weren't that strong. Nami had trouble just to fight a few because there are some strong enough to fight against her and Usopp was only good for shooting them with rocks.

Zoro is the second prized fighter next to Luffy, and we needed him right after Luffy.

"Reuben!"

"I'm trying, okay?" I shout back to him. "I really am!"

I look down at the other end of the slippery slope, looking around to see if there is anything on Zoro's part that could help him up and**—**

"Your swords!" I point out, bonking my own head and snapping my fingers. "_Your swords_!"

"Huh?" Zoro looked at his weapons.

"Like skiing or climbing through thick snow! Stab 'em firmly into the ground and climb your way up!"

"Okay!" Zoro readily agreed, pulling out two fo his weapons. "Here I come!"

And it worked! It was a bit hard but Zoro was steadily progressing forward towards me, reaching his way to the top and getting closer to escaping to join the others.

"Right! I'm gonna go ahead! I'll see ya!" I yell down at him and finally sprinted off to help hold the fort.

After I left, Zoro reached non-slippery ground and jogged further into the path. He paused, looking around suddenly.

"That Usopp guy said North so... Reuben went this way." Zoro muttered and ran... towards the South.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ N. Slope Entrance }-¤-¤-¤-**

Usopp and Nami face the forces of an entire pirate fleet led by the hypnotist that Nami and the others had met earlier, serving as the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, waiting down below the slope and it was by total surprise on the pirates side that they are held back, not expecting a pair of kids to attack and keep them from raiding the village. But they're facing a very big problem.

Luffy, Reuben, and Zoro are not here.

"You first." Usopp pushed Nami forward by the small of her back.

"What?" Nami gasped. "I'm a girl, I can't win against a bunch of pirates!"

"I'm a guy and look at my legs!" his legs are trembling and shaking wildly, knocking knees together.

"This is no time for fun and games!" Jango waved an arm at their direction. "Kill these punks and attack the village!"

"YES, CAPTAIN!" they cried and ran forward.

"Crap! What do we do?" Nami panics, glancing towards Usopp who fumbled through his satchel bag.

"Caltrops! I got caltrops!" he pulls out to reveal black spiked balls.

"Give some to me!"

"_GET OUTTA OUR WAY_!" the Black Cats roared, swords, spears, and clubs brandished.

"Eat this!" Nami threw her half to the incoming pirates.

"Makibishi Jigoku!" Usopp threw his other half.

In an instant, everyone made an abrupt stop, each of them hopping on one foot to howl in pain and remove the caltrops sticking out of the bottom of their feet. Usopp took the opportunity to pull out his sling-shot and marbles and began to fire off, shooting down anyone close enough.

"Namari Boshi!"

With that taken mostly care of, Nami slapped a hand on Usopp's shoulder with a bright smile lit upon her face.

"You keep going, I'm going to go ahead and take a break." she begins to walk away.

"_WAIT A MINUTE_!_ YOU'RE BARELY EVEN HELPED AT ALL_!"

"Usopp!" she gave a cry and pointed at the caltops surrounding them on the other side. "We're trapped!"

"Did you throw them that side?" he shouted, looking panicked himself and not noticing the shadows coming from behind him.

"USOPP!" Nami cried, pointing behind him.

Two Black Cat Pirates, both armed with a club and sword went down on Usopp to finally put an end to his miserable life. Nami twitches to hear the sound of rapid footsteps coming from behind her and then a rush of wind brushing at her side and the two pirates suddenly put on hold of their attack on Usopp.

"_HYA_!" came a roar.

Two black ankle boots slammed into the guts of the would-be killers of Usopp, sending them off into the startled crowd of Black Cat Pirates and leaving everyone to stare at the new comer. A hand came in front of Usopp's fallen form, having fell down earlier from the surprise, and the long-nosed boy thankfully clasps his hands on it to be pulled to his feet. A sense of small relief came over him and Nami, knowing well enough that they are not much as alone as they thought they were.

"Alright you big pussies," I glare down at the army that shared the mutual feeling by giving me seething looks from their dark painted eyes. "You may have thought it was great to take on two people, but since we're here an' all, we're be sure to give you the time of your 9 lives!"

"You bastard!" one of them shouted.

"Reuben, where are the guys?" Nami whispered, looking around to see if Zoro or Luffy are showing up any time from around the curve.

"What are you talking about, Zoro's behind me." I whisper back, still not taking my eyes off at the crowd.

"No he isn't." Usopp said.

"What?" I blink, looking at him and Nami and then to the empty road. "What the... He was right behind me!"

"Oh boy..." Nami muttered and raised her staff. "They're coming up again."

"Shit!" I curse, looking down at the pirates that wanted blood.

Where the hell are those idiots?

_Elsewhere..._

"_Gah_! Another dead end!" Luffy shouted as he faced the end of a cliff. "Usopp has horrible directions!"

"Hmmm..." Zoro hummed to himself, surrounded by a bunch of small flock of sheep that nibbled on his pants. "I was sure he went this way..."

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

Michael Jackson - The late famous Prince of Pop with multiple hit albums and scores high in the music industry. It is unknown if Oda had any intentions of using the famous singer as an inspiration for the OP character Jango as his overall characteristics (slender figure, eccentric personality, manner of dress, penchant for walking backwards, etc) seem to be homages to the late Jackson.

Transformers, ThunderCats, X-Men - All old cartoon series; Transformers beings of robots that can transform into any sort of vehicle with two sides against one another, Autobots vs. Decepticons; ThunderCats (80's version) depicting of humanoid alien cats that fight against mutants and an evil sorcerer known as Mumm-Ra; X-Men is based off the Marvel comics of mutants that each have unique powers and use them to fight off threats to maintain peaceful co-existence between mutants and humans.

MMA Fighters - (Mixed Martial Arts) a full contract combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, Brazilian jui-jitsu, wrestling, muay Thai, kickboxing, taekwondo, karate, judo, kung fu and other styles.


	9. The Brave One

**A/N:** The reason I haven't updated is because I've been a busy bee over school. I'm getting supplies, attending classes to get the introduction going for me to familiarize myself with new faces of both students and teachers alike, and then catching up with old friends in person. I think most of you know the feeling, but I'm glad that I got it settled down to the point I can finish writing this! I hope you find this chapter worth the wait, and I have to warn you that I didn't do much because I've been distracted to forgive me if you found things you didn't like. I want to get this arc over with to continue on with the Baratie, to the Arlong Park, and Logue Town arc. Why? Because I've got something special to bring up to that point. Remember to read and review, and thanks for the support of this fanfic that is growing on you guys!

**Disclaimer:** One Piece and its characters belongs to Oda-sensei, Reuben belongs to me!

**—**

**Chapter 8 - The Brave One  
><strong>

**—**

_'These kids...'_ Jango, newly promoted captain of the Black Cat Pirates, let his fists clench and tremble from the increasing panic building within him. _'They're gonna be the death of us!'_

The order was simple, very simple really. To the point it was like relearning the ABC's and 1 2 3's all over again; take over Syrup Village and kill the mistress of the mansion. After that, all the money and property would belong to to the former captain of the Black Cat Pirates who goes around with the name Clahador, a butler. He once laughed, but not in the reaching ears and prying eyes of the man himself, he didn't have a stupid death wish of course. Jango had to admit, a heinous man like him hiding himself a dutiful butler is actually something very clever of the man.

But that's to be expected from Captain Kuro.

The man is incredibly smart and patient, his plans following through always when he worked around the quirks and outcome. Having just escaped 3 years ago from the Marines by facing his death, using one of their own crew mates to take Captain Kuro's place—with Jango's persuasion—and letting the bespectacled man walk away free from the life of piracy. And that was suppose to be the end of the story, the end of Captain Kuro's terrifying reign over the crew... and then Jango received a letter.

It came to a surprise for Jango when he read the letter, informing him that Captain Kuro wanted to meet up with him after 3 long years and the hypnotist knew this wasn't a meeting of chit-chat about the old days. And the hypnotist was right.

Looks like the sly cat wanted to perform one last heist; a hit.

A simple arrival, a simple meeting, a simple plan, a simple pillaging of the village as all pirates do best, and a simple get away. Period.

There was nothing more simple and clear about this perfect plan.

_'So why?!'_ Jango grounded his teeth as he glares behind the shades of his sunglasses. _'Why the hell isn't this going as planned?!'_

They all would be at the village already ransacking and killing everyone left and right, they would already trying to burn down houses and steal priceless jewelry and what berri they can find from the dead bodies. They would all be there and getting away with murder. Yet, what are they doing instead? Here they remain on this single slope with no way of getting anywhere else but the trail up, which led to three people standing in their way.

The little lying bastard that Captain Kuro had said was nothing to worry about, the girl from earlier with his arrival on the island, and last but not least, the punk that mistook him for some nobody. Every time the men charged up to put an end to these brats and finally make their way to the village, the kids pushed them back down. Hard. Now he's surrounded by some bloody, bruised, and nearly exhausted men that have been repeatedly met with the end of a fist, a stick, and lead marbles.

Three kids against a whole fleet of pirates! It's embarrassing!

Captain Kuro—or Clahador, or whatever!—is a brilliantly intelligent and patient man when he goes into planning, his mind calculative and cool as he comes up with careful considerations and mentally visualizes what could happen ahead of time. But this one plan, Jango grinds his teeth again, hadn't been counted on being messed up by a bunch of kids. And that's not the worse thing. Jango and everyone in the crew knew full well what would happen should this continue on and the former Captain comes to realize there is no one attacking the village as of yet.

"Goddammit...!" Jango cursed under the shadow of his fedora.

A chill ran down his spine, the hypnotist shuddering at the thought about a formal-looking man sitting, waiting, seething as no one was coming to take care of the villagers and the mistress because no one here couldn't get past a trio of snot-nosed brats! No, Jango was not going to die because these little shits got in their way!

"Kill them!" Jango roars and points at the trio. "_KILL THEM ALL_!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>THWAK! THWAK!<em>**

"Ugh!"

I hold my fists up and glare fiercely at the pirate fleet standing below me, all of them looking tired and beaten up but I know not to let my guard down. After that cry for our blood, I know things are going to get just a little bit harder seeing as they'll be hitting us with everything they got. They attacked furiously, not focused and more intent on getting past me and everyone else, but they thankfully didn't get too far. I rub my shoulder against my cheek, wanting to get rid of the feeling of blood from an earlier scratch from somebody's sword.

I myself ain't that good to look at. My leg hurts, my ribs ached, and my hands are trembling from the adrenaline pumping and pumping in my veins, it's crazy. I know soon enough when this is over I'm going to crash and burn, but right now, I'm taking advantage of all the muscles bulging and ready to break noses and teeth.

"Nami!" I call to her, not looking behind in fear that they might strike me for turning a blind eye.

"I'm good!" she answers almost immediately and I can hear her voice sounding out of breath.

"Usopp!" I call on louder since he was behind Nami.

"Ready to fire!" he responds, a small quake in his voice but otherwise he's standing his ground.

I'm no military strategist or some super genius that Zoro likes to mockingly refer me of being but I've seen a lot of movies and read a lot of books to get my inspirational ideas. With quick thinking and wild yelling to the others that are thankfully quick to catch on, we have established what I call a _'three-line defense'_. How does it work and what is it suppose to do against an army of sword-wielding and very angry pirates? Well, I ain't gonna say it's simple because it ain't, but I'm gonna say it gets the job done.

This is how it works...

I'm the first in line of this defense because, despite my injuries, I am currently labeled the heavy hitter of us three. Like I said, I've been through enough bar fights and other tough tumbles back home that I have developed a mean right hook. It isn't perfect though, I still get punched and sometimes cut by these bastards but I have somewhat quick reflexes. I sure as hell don't want a repeat of a spear being stabbed into my leg or my head being nearly sliced clean off my shoulders.

Nami is the second line of defense, just a few feet behind me. She takes out anyone that gets past me or will offer help when it becomes too overwhelming for me to handle by myself. She's in perfect condition, that's the bonus, she not all that tired and she's really good with her Bo staff. Her size and frame is her strength, making her reaction quick and her mind fast-thinking, turning the orangette the next formidable person should any of these jerks get past me.

Usopp serves the last line of defense with multiple tasks put on his plate, but I have all faith in him on succeeding because of his sniper qualities. And he's safe, that's what counts the most for him, is that he's safe. His job as the last line is to take out anyone from going for the killing blow when neither I nor Nami are looking or we just aren't quick enough. He also takes out anyone that gets past Nami, and he will randomly shoot anyone in the crowd just to keep these guys on their toes and warning them what's to come should they think of trying.

This is our three-line defense, it ain't perfect and simple but it gets the job done.

"You bastards!" one Black Cat hisses at us, pointing a sword at our direction. "You won't last long! There's tons of us and only three of you!"

"Stop yappin' and come at me ya hissy-fittin' jerk wad!" I yell back and side-stepped quickly when he furiously ran at me. "Suck on _THIS_!"

**_SLAM!_**

He flies back from the force of the kick, making the teeth in his front go flying and I know when he wakes up he'll develope a lisp. I point a finger down at the crew, pulling another one of my dad's scary looks.

"Is _THAT_ the best you _GOT_?!"

I feel a jab at my back and I know it's Nami poking me with her bo staff.

"Stop antagonizing them, _BAKA_!" she and Usopp scream at my back.

"Enough!" Jango shouts. "Men! Attack all at once!"

I think this a way for karma coming back to bite me in the ass. And I can tell from the burning feel against my back that Nami and Usopp saw this as punishment for me becoming a bit too prideful. Had we not been in the middle of this dire situation, I think they would have loved nothing more than to beat me with a staff and shoot me lead marbles.

"Here they come!" I tell them, pulling up my fists.

The pirates... were climbing the slope in a V-shape. In the lead is a big, fast, ugly-looking guy, somebody that I had a hard time hitting because of the extra fat, I had to leave Usopp to hit him square in the face with his marbles. Behind the big fatty are the rest of the fleet, pushing the man up and up, closer to destroying this three-line defense. I have to think...!

"Nami! You're staff!" I yell at her when the incoming pirates are coming closer. "Hurry!"

She tosses it to me and I catch easily, whirling around in time to slam the middle into the big man, he looks disgruntled by grabs the stick and pushes me back. My feet are sliding over the gravel upward thanks to the push his friends are doing and I really hate that smug grin on the fat bastard's face. I let out a huff when I feel something slam against me and I peek over my shoulder to see it's Nami pushing against my back, putting all her weight to help stop the climb.

"_Oof_!" Nami and I let out, feeling another thump on our backs.

"Usopp," Nami's voice strained from the push.

"We can't let them cross!" Usopp cried with panic and fear rising in his tone with every push up from the Black Cats. "We can't let them hurt my village!"

"Dammit...!" I curse as I push back harder, but my mind already comprehended what my heart refuses to acknowledge; defeat.

"Eek!"

"Waaah!"

I look up to see what is freaking out the other two, only to find a big axe coming down on us that one of the Black Cats carried with them, I can only watch as the edge of the axe comes closer and closer—

**_WHAM!_**

"_WAAAAAHHH_...!"

I blink and realize that I'm still holding Nami's bo staff but nothing being pushed against it, not even an army of blood thirsty pirates hungrily reaching the top of the slope to charge and wreak havoc on the poor unsuspecting village. Instead, I see a mass of flying Black Cats being blown away until they meet the painful end of a horrible landing. Nami and Usopp are still close behind me and I feel two extra bodies standing on either side of me.

"You...!"

"Luffy! Zoro!"

The two teens had a look that said they are beyond peeved. Both of them are covered in sweat and dirt, just ragged and outrageously irritated from whatever hell hole they got themselves out of. I felt a twitch in my left eye as I stared at them. How the hell should they feel that way when me and the others were fighting for our lives! We should be the ones that carried faces like we just came out of an epic war zone from killing batshit crazy soldiers or some shit like that, not these two maniacs!

"About time you two showed up!" Nami tells them both with an unimpressed look. I make a face that said she had no reason to be acting all innocent when she was the cause of one of them being tardy to begin with.

"Dammit, Usopp! You gave me wrong directions!" Luffy growls at Usopp, long nose only chokes and babbles on how Luffy went on ahead before he could tell the rubber brat.

"Don't give me that crap!" Zoro snapped at the orangette. "You left me down there in the first place!"

She just rolled her eyes at the green-haired swordsman. "My treasure was in danger."

There really is no point trying to talk some common sense into this greedy woman, really. No point at all.

"And _YOU_!" Zoro turns to me.

I blink. "Me?"

"You went the wrong way! I had to run around the island looking for this place!"

I... the wrong... What the _HELL_ is he talking about?! Like hell I'm the person at fault here!

"Idiot!" I shout back at him. "You got lost on your own so don't blame others for your stupid lack of directions! My God, I've never met anyone who got lost on a _straight path_!"

"OH SHUT UP!"

"WHY DON'T YA MAKE ME?!"

"_SCREW YOU_!"

"_FUCK YOU_!"

"Hey!" Nami pushes us apart and points a finger at the crew below. "Why don't you use that anger and focus it on them!"

Luffy and Zoro take in the scene, the pirates looking a bit bruised and battered but they still had it in them to fight some more. Jango just stood there in the middle of it all, his face hidden under his fedora, no one can tell what's going on in that hypnotist's mind.

Nami steps up next to Luffy, her hands to her hips and her Bo staff back in their owner's grip, talking under her breath to the two others, probably filling them in while they were off running around the island in circles. I turn to Usopp and rest a hand on his slightly trembling shoulder, the poor kid gives a small flinch but relaxes that it's no enemy but an ally standing beside him.

"You okay, man?"

"Y-yeah...!" he grins up at me. "I can't believe we kept them back this long!"

"Me neither," I weakly say as I chance a peek down at the Black Cat Pirates with dread. "Me neither."

"Shishishi~!" me and Usopp look up at Luffy, a laughing expression plastered on the rubber brat's face.

"Huh?" I mumble, wondering what he's laughing on about.

"Listen to me! When I say_ 'one, two, Jango!'_ all your wounds will be healed and you will be super strong!"

"What is that lunatic doing now?" Zoro inquiries wryly.

"Hypnotizing them to get strong?" I look at the others with a bewildered expression. "That's crazy!"

"I don't like this..." Usopp comments as he keeps himself hidden from behind my tall frame.

"One..."

All of us look at each other, a small glint of uneasiness rising in our chest.

"Two..."

Zoro unsheathes his swords, Nami holds up her Bo staff, Usopp shakily aims his sling-shot, Luffy gazes on, and I weakly hold up my fists.

"JANGO!"

An uproar of men gave a wild shout to the sky, the energy and power coming off of them in waves overwhelming me and everyone else in our little group. I am a fool, I admit that now, to think that me, Nami, and Usopp had it covered before Zoro and Luffy's arrival. Even with the appearance of the small crew's most toughest fighters things just aren't looking too good for us at all.

"RAH!" one of the Black Cats slams a fist against a nearby cliff.

Few seconds later, there's a massive rock slide tumbling down, the part of the earth broken off by that one hit! The helplessness came back again, the fear and weakness consuming me. Usopp is shaking so badly, Nami is speechless and looking pathetic, even Zoro looked a bit pale but stood firm on his feet. Luffy though...

"Luffy?" I stare at him in worry, a shadow cast over his eyes from the strawhat.

"Shit!" Zoro hisses.

"They've all been hypnotized!" Nami is trembling now with fear evident in her eyes.

"Holy crap! If one of them can do that, just imagine what the whole fleet can do!" Usopp shrieks loudly, looking ready to bolt and run.

"Go and finish them!" Jango commands and the whole fleet is on their way up.

"You guys, take cover!" Zoro orders Nami and Usopp, and his eyes whip around a quick second looking for the third party.

"Luffy?" I touch his shoulder and shake him a little. "Luffy?! What's wrong?"

"Reuben!" Zoro grabs me from the fabric of my shirt. "Didn't you hear me? I said run!"

"No, wait—" I try to shrug Zoro's hand away from my shoulder but we both are thrown back on our asses.

"**RRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRR**!" Luffy roars to the sky, his eyes unfocused and a war face drawn on him.

"He's been hypnotized!" we all realized with horror.

"That moron!" Nami shrieked with irritated anger.

"Luffy, snap out of it!" I tell the rubber brat, snapping my fingers but it does no good. "Oh shit!"

And Luffy races off down the slope while waving his arms like the mad man that he is, ignoring mine and Zoro's shouts.

"Gomu Gomu no GATLING!"

Hundreds and hundreds of hands coming from Luffy and striking everyone of those guys down, it was an optical illusion, if one had a careful eye, anyone can see that Luffy was just stretching out his arms really fast. Luffy halts his fast-punching fiesta and all the downed men look up at him, fear in their eyes from behind their swollen lids and give a cry of fear when Luffy charges towards them with another battle cry. Me and Zoro narrow our eyes when he completely runs past the fleeing crew and slam into their front ship, grabbing the edge of the cat figurehead.

"What in Sam Hill is that boy doin'...?" I whisper.

"Like I know." Zoro answers back.

With another shock of bewilderment running through both of us, we watched as Luffy fucking tore off the figurehead like nothing! He turns towards the Black Cats and they all squeal in fright as Luffy went after them as that giant over-sized bat as his weapon!

"Captain! Do something!" one of them cries to Jango.

"When I say 'one, two, Jango!' you will fall asleep!" the hypnotist pulls out his ring again.

"Uh-oh!" Zoro and I say in unison.

"One! Two!..."

Luffy raises up the figurehead with a roar...

"JANGO!"

And collapses, the giant cat figurehead falling over and the men run away so that they aren't crushed. I wince as the giant wood falls on Luffy but know that he's okay, just sleeping it off.

"Great," Nami mutters. "Now what?"

"That," we all hear Usopp say. "Is not normal."

"Tell us something we don't know."

"Neh, neh! Buchi! The figurehead is gone!" everyone hears from within the ship.

"There's more people?" I ask. It's bad enough we have to take care of the people down below, we don't need anymore surprises.

"Seems like it." Zoro replies, eyes on the ship.

"Haha..." we hear one downed pirate weakly cackle, giving us a sick, twisted gleeful look. "You all... are going to die."

I shift my eyes towards the ship where I spy two figures standing at the front. I expected them to be scary—like Guraji scary—but they looked just a freaky-looking as Mohji of the Buggy Pirates. One is incredibly fat, dressed in a cloak and wearing red striped pants with a yellow sash, his chest and belly bare for all to see, and his face looked like a cat. The whole ears, bell collar, and spots down to the teeth. The other one is just hideous! Dark green hair curled up in one direction with dark cat ears perked up, dark blue shirt with a tie, and short shorts to show off his hairy legs. I cringe at the images, never again did I want to run into someone like Mohji. Ever.

They both wore gloves with 2 inch sharp claws sticking out, and at their feet are a type of shoes I've seen ninjas wear. The kind that separates their big toe from the rest of the toes. But I've learned since coming into this strange sea is that I should never underestimate anyone because of their looks... I've had enough of those ugly truths already.

"Get down here, Nyabun Brothers!"

They both jump high into the air before landing gracefully, quietly, onto the ground. Like a bunch of cats.

"Those guys jumped really high," Usopp comments from behind me.

"Who the heck are these guys?" Nami wondered out loud.

"A bunch of guys raised by their grandmothers that spend way too much time handling cats, that's who." I tell the orangette.

"Captain! Buchi reporting!" the fat cat salutes.

"Sham reporting!" the hunch-back salutes as well.

I turn to Zoro out of curiosity to see what he thought but I find instead the man holding an expression that said he was not at all amused or impressed by the two newcomer enemies. It was like he was expecting something of a challenge to come against his formidable three-sword style, and yet he was was lumped with those squabbling cat lovers that looked hesitant to go against us.

_'Wait a second...'_ I thought as I look back down at the Nyabun Brothers, the hunch-back, Sham, running forward with a panicky look on his face. _'This don't look right at all.'_

All gut instinct, all deep-in-my-heart feelings, all frantic nerve-wracking brainwaves shouted the same thing; _trap_!

"Here I come, prepare yourself!" shouted Sham wildly with his arms waving like a lunatic.

"They sent a weakling?!" Zoro snorted, barely raising his sword, the two others sheathed a while ago.

Cats are sly creatures, who's to say these cat-themed pirates weren't thinking the same in using these kinds of methods?

"Zoro!" I shout at his back. "SWORDS UP!"

At my warning, Zoro raised his sword to find a gloved hand slam into it, long nails just inches away from cutting into his chest like a sharp knife poking through soft butter. Zoro's feet are shoved backwards from the force of the unpredictable incoming attack, taken surprise by the weakling act Sham put up in front.

"You son of a...!" Zoro growls, holding his grip firm on the handle of his single sword.

"You thought I was just a weakling, right?" Sham smiles so sickly sweet, like he was a dark parody of the Chesire cat, although I could be Alice, stuck in a bizarre Wonderland.

I spot the other hand sneaking to Zoro's waist, where his other swords are at.

"Zoro! Push him off you!" I shouted again.

But it was too late. Zoro succeeded in pushing Sham back but the cat-man's goal had already been won, strapped on his back were two of Zoro's beloved swords.

"Holy crap, this guy is good!" Ussop blurted, surprised that someone sneakily took away the weapons without the swordsman's notice.

"This is insane!" Nami added in her disbelief.

"Well, fuck," Zoro cursed, glaring at the hunch-back.

"You're a pretty good fighter, but you sadly underestimated me." Sham licked the fingernails, somewhat looking more cat-like for the behavior. It just creeped me the hell out. "You really should do well to listen to other's warnings, not that it'll do you any good against the Nyabun Brothers."

"Give them back, you bastard!" Zoro demands, getting angrier by the second.

"What's wrong?" came a coy response from the hunch-back. "You have a sword. It's right there, in your hand."

"Idiot!" I shout at the feline-fetish lunatic. "You better hand the swords over if you wanna live to see the next day! He WILL kill you!"

"Reuben," came Nami's voice, a warning tone directed at my back, but I'm too busy dealing with these chumps.

"Before we begin," Sham flicked the swords behind him, letting them fall down the slope until they came to a stop, just a few feet before Jango and Buchi's feet. "Those swords would get in the way. Now let's get started!"

I felt an angry wave of heat coming from Zoro, and I didn't have to be a professor to know that he was furious because someone just handled his weapons like they were trash. It just made my uneasiness with Zoro grow a little more, the fear knowing how disgustingly precious those deadly weapons were from Zoro's previous bounty hunting exploits.

Without warning, Zoro lunged forward and before the hunch-back could even put up his gloves to defend himself, it was over.

"Oh, God!"

He did it again, and not because he was trying to defend himself like Nami said before, but just out of anger because someone didn't handle his swords properly. No good reason, no right, no necessity. If I could put this situation in simple terms I'd just say that this was like a kid having a temper tantrum. Zoro was like a tiny child, getting his favorite toy tossed around that he retaliated by breaking the others toys out of revenge.

And that's what made the man more fucking scary.

I feel Nami's hands grab my shoulders, trying to keep me from falling on my knees and losing myself in my head like back in the last island we were on with the whole Buggy ordeal.

"Reuben—"

"No," I shake my head behind my hands. "No, no more of this shit, no!"

"AAH!" we both jump from Ussop's squawk, he jabbed a finger towards Zoro's direction. "_HE'S ALIVE_!"

Indeed, Sham is alive... and skinny. Like anorexic skinny that models would kill to have a body like that.

"He used that shirt as a ploy to think he was a big-framed guy!" Nami summarized the whole thing in seconds.

Although I am relieve that the guy is alive and not dead, bleeding away on the floor like Zoro intended him to be, the man is sitting on Zoro's back with the swordsman's arms trapped behind him.

"Now, Buchi!" Sham shouted to his fat brother.

"Good work, Sham!" the fat cat and suddenly leaps in the air, coming down to stomp Zoro's head to smithereens. "Kyatto Za Funjyatta!"

"_ZORO_!" all three of us screamed helplessly.

In the last minute, Zoro rolls away with Sham flying off his back and avoiding his head being smashed into a slush that we wouldn't have recognized. The ground beneath the fat one's feet crumbles and cracks, just leaving to the imagination of what would have happened had Zoro still been in that position...

"Jesus Christ," I mumble under my breath. "These guys are strong as hell!"

"No kidding!" Ussop readily agrees with me.

"Damn!" Sham hissed as he got back to his feet and joins his partner.

"Next time get a better hold of him!" Buchi scolds his brother, agitated from having missed his shot in killing Zoro.

"Sorry, didn't think he was _THAT_ strong."

Zoro didn't look to good in taking on these two, very well-armed, and very crafty pirates that moved beyond our expectations. And there was the fact that he was armed with one single sword to defend himself, and of all the time I've been with him, I've actually never seen him fight with one sword. It was just two or three but never was it one. And the grim look on his face told me all that I needed to know that this fight wasn't going to be easy.

"I need to get the swords," I quietly tell Nami and Ussop and leave their eyes from Zoro to me. "And we also have to deal with another problem, too."

"Okay," I hear Usopp say.

Nami stayed quiet and then I feel her hands on my shoulder tighten. She knows of how deeply frightened I am of that man taking on two enemies simultaneously, but she also knows that I didn't have the heart to watch and let him die. I am just a complicated basket case, ain't I?

"What's the plan?"

"Neko-yanagi Daikoushin!"

The Nyabun Brothers attacked with speed and ferocity, pushing Zoro back from the multiple attacks that sometimes drew dangerously closer to the swordsman's body.

I sprint off the side and down the slope so suddenly, taking the opportunity that the Nyabun brothers are distracted and the fleet of pirates are down from Luffy's attack. I just had to get the swords and let Zoro take the lead from there, and somehow get Luffy to wake the hell up!

_'What is that fool doing?'_ Zoro thought as he ducked, dodged, and blocked the fury of attacks.

"Oh look, one of them is going for the swords!" the big fat guy Buchi states as he peeks over for a quick moment to see what was going on.

_'Shit!'_

"Don't worry," Sham grinned widely. "I've got this one."

"No you don't!" Zoro growls, making his first attack against Sham but Buchi pushes him back whilst the fucking crackpot Sham goes down to take care of the problem.

With no other choice, Zoro shouted loud and clear into the air.

"REUBEN!"

Before I can react, before I can think, before I can even understand the slightest bit, I'm suddenly flying face-first into the ground. Shocked of the stinging pain of rocks digging sharply onto the side of my face, causing blood to pour through from the open scratches, I register the weight resting heavily on my back and I know that it is the cause of my fall. But there is another thing I register afterwards...

Knives, many knives, digging deep through my shoulders. Cutting through the skin, seeping deeper through the muscles, invading the blood streams, and my body reacted to the unwelcome feeling.

I scream.

I let the world hear my blood curling scream. The scream that made the hair at the back of your neck rise, the scream that made your skin crawl and feel sick in the stomach, the scream that you hear when someone is moments away from dying.

I just screamed.

The hurt, the deep edge of agony, the burning pain—_'MAKE IT STOP!'_

It was like being speared again except the knives didn't go all the way through, they just remained where they are; rooted into my flesh and blood. I can't think right or stay focus, too busy screaming my head off and not caring how many times I bit my tongue and cheeks that my mouth if full of blood, I can't hear or listen what's going on around me, just screaming and screaming. And I can't breathe! Oh _Christ_, I can't breathe! I can't think of anything but the sensation of the knives digging, scratching, ruining me from the inside and I can't do anything about it to ease it.

I want to die.

I want to die so badly.

I want it to stop hurting so much, I want to die and never ever feel it again, I want to be somewhere other than here. It hurts me so much.

It hurts so fucking much!

It hurts, it hurts, _ithurtsithurtsithurts_—

"TEME!"

I give a hoarse broken cry as the knives are forcefully ripped away, I can feel the tearing of my flesh that I can only imagine those knives having taken some of it with them when they uprooted themselves from my body. I hack and cough from the blood I accidentally swallowed, I didn't have the time to recover because I'm roughly pulled up from someone grabbing the back of my wife beater and I am shakily lifted up.

"You _fucking_ idiot!" the green-haired swordsman hisses under his breath while glaring at the two pirates. Sham looked like a cat that had just eaten cream. "What the hell in your right mind made you think you can just—? You moron!"

I cough more blood up, watching it fall to the graveled ground, faintly feeling blood dripping down my face, my chin, nose, and now my back as well. I really don't look or feel well at all.

"Dammit, you're a mess," I hear Zoro tell me.

It hurt still, it hurt breathing. But, I look at Zoro and see him struggling to look not only after himself but for me, too. I'm still scared of Zoro, and I really don't like his methods of dealing with people... but it's the only thing we've got should we want to fight back. With all my stamina and strength conjured up, I sprinted off quickly.

"REUBEN!" I hear Zoro shout after me. "DAMMIT, YOU BASTARD!"

I have to get the swords... I come closer to the weapons, getting ready to snatch them from the ground and give them back to their rightful owner.

"NOW REUBEN!"

**_Pop!_**

"Aghk!" came a pained and startled cry from behind me.

I quickly duck down, rolling a somersault and feeling a body fly over me a brief moment; Sham. The hunch-back was inches away from digging his claws into my back again, but not this time. Nami had shouted the signal, and Usopp shot a lead ball to hit Sham to distract the cat-man enough for me to finally attack and defend myself.

"My turn ya piece o' shit!" I spat at the man, watching my bloody saliva stain his face.

And I gave that bastard hell.

I pounce and straddle the cat-man as he had went down, and without any words or threats, I began to pummel the bastard with all my might. The scabs of my fist opening once again because of the strength and weight I'm using to beat Sham, wincing as my knuckles scraped against teeth but I continued, I'm not gonna give this guy the chance to kill me. The once dangerous man below me now choking, shouting, and crying from the pain and onslaught of my fists beating him so brutally, but I didn't give in. I had to take him out, now.

I finish the beat-down session with one last fisted back-hand, letting Sham lie there in agony.

"_SHAM_!" I hear Buchi cry in distraught to see his brother bloody and bruised.

"Holy cow," I hear one Black Cat Pirate say. "Sham's been beaten to death!"

"Idiots," I murmur to myself but didn't bother to correct their thoughts, I needed to get the swords.

"And just what," I hear a voice cut through the air before I felt something slice deeply at my shoulder's trapezium. "Do you plan on taking, hm?"

So much of the pain the body can take, the blood gushing and having me collapse back on the gravel with a huff and I lie there, unmoving and finally giving in to the exhaustion.

_'Sorry guys...'_

The world turned down the volume for me so I can't really much around me, just feel. Like the cold shudder in my spine recognizing the killing intent filling the air, the stiffening of everyone coming to a stop because something cold as ice is in their presence.

_'Wait...!'_ I though weakly as I shift my head the side, the swords in my reaching range. _'This is my only chance!'_

Quick to gather all my strength into this one last move, I grab the two swords and twist my body and summon the muscles of my arm to work to give this one last shot. I ignore the sharp pokes and joins and stabs of my wounds and throw the swords to Zoro's direction before I flop down on my stomach.

_'Now we're even!'_

And light's out for me.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ Syrup Village }-¤-¤-¤-**

"I don't think he was lying. Usopp, I mean."

"Yeah. He can lie about a lot of things but he can't lie about that sort of stuff."

"Mmhm!"

Tamanegi, Piiman, and Ninjin sit quietly under a tree with thoughts deep and clouded with what had transpired the day before. Never once have their captain lied about someone to that extent, it was practically beneath him and a blow under the belt to go around saying that this person was evil when they actually aren't. But something happened, their leader frantic and panic-stricken with something and he was insistent in one thing that everyone refused to listen;

The supposed lie of Clahador being a pirate after Kaya's fortune.

"Anyway, where is he? I hadn't seen him all morning." Piiman stands to his feet and looks around for any signs of the long-nosed captain. "He should have been hear by now."

"I'm telling you guys! Something is really wrong!" Tamanegi cried to his two fellow crew mates with urgency, cold sweat breaking from the terrible gut feeling rumbling in his round stomach.

"And where are those guys from yesterday." Ninjin added. "Did they leave already?"

"No way! They couldn't have! They didn't say goodbye to us!" Piiman bonked Ninjin's head for the freckled boy's thinking.

"Hey guys," Tamanegi distractedly called as he pointed to the distance.

Both boys looked at the direction and squint their eyes, unsure of what they are trying to look for until movement caught their attention, and to their absolute surprise, it's Kaya! A coat draped around her shoulders, she looked weak and fragile than ever before, looking ready to collapse from the long walk.

"No way..."

"What is she doing outside of the mansion?"

"Something's happening! I know it!"

"Can it, you two!" Piiman ordered sternly to the two others. "She looks like she needs help, so put a cork in it and lets help her!"

"Yeah! Captain Usopp would've done the same!"

Tamanegi followed after the two boys, the worry about yesterday and this morning increasing and giving him a feeling of dread. He always he'd ignore his gut instinct because his friends always dragged him along for fun that ended up getting them in trouble and getting lectures by his parents afterward. But this instinct was screaming for him not to ignore it, pleading him to listen just for once that something is happening and it's happening now!

"Hey, Miss Kaya!" Piiman greeted the thin-framed blond girl.

"What's up?" Ninjin offered to steady the girl on her feet, she was dangerous tipping to the side.

"I... I have to be somewhere right now." she said cryptically, not at all revealing her motive of being out and alone from her own residence.

"Where's Merry?"

"Yeah, you don't normally go alone. Or even go alone out side!"

"Please," she panted and drew away from the trio. "I have to go now."

The group watched her leave on her own to wherever she is going, and then all three shared a mutual look.

**-¤-¤-¤-{ N. Slope Entrance }-¤-¤-¤-**

A painful stomp on his head awoke Luffy from his nap.

"OWW!" the rubber boy easily removes himself from beneath the wreckage of the ships figurehead to face the perpetrator. "HEY! WHAT'S THE BIG—"

_**Shunk!**_

Nami gaped openly, Zoro staring bug-eyed, and Ussop choking the air, all just utterly gobsmacked of one of Jango's weapons disguised as hypnotizing tools embedded deep in the back of Luffy's skull. For a second, as they watch the boy stumble forward about to meet the ground, that this was the end and there would be no coming out of this fight alive...

**_Stomp!_**

Luffy found his footing and with a harsh grind of his teeth, the young captain pulls of the weapon from his head throws it to the floor and instead focused on nursing bleeding head, trying all his might to keep the tears at bay.

"_AAAAOOOOWWW_!" Luffy gave a shrill cry in the open sky to express the pain on his head. "THAT REALLY _HURTS_!"

"Luffy!" Nami gasped in surprise as she stares up at Luffy from the ground, having collapsed from the scare of Jango's ring coming straight at her.

"That moron..." Zoro grinned tiredly.

"Captain Jango! The kid's awake!" one guy shouts from the crowd.

"We'll never finish this in 5 minutes!"

"We're as good as dead!"

"NAMI!" Luffy roars to the orangette, tears still flowing down like a waterfall.

"I didn't do it!" the girl defends herself but stops as her shoulder throbbed in pain, and Luffy finally notices the dire situation surrounding him.

"You're bleeding,"

"Me and Reuben are down for the count," the thief says as she holds her wound. "It's up to you to win this fight from here on out!"

Luffy stares at Nami, letting the words she said process through his energetic brain before he quickly darts his head to the direction of the rest of his crew mates, searching for the other fallen. It didn't take him too long as he locks on to a down figure that stood out from the rest of the stupid pussy cat crew that still shuddered in fear of his previous state of mind. Painting the gravel red with their blood, Reuben lied face-down on the ground, unresponsive and unmoving.

"It's okay," Luffy hears from Nami. "He's just unconscious. He succeeded in planning to get Zoro's swords when they were taken and distract the pirates from me for a short while to give me the chance to wake you. It was all part of the plan."

A simple quirk of the lips told Nami Luffy is smiling, no doubt proud of that guy's efforts in putting all things into motion at once and going out with a job well done. Scary, fast-pace, painful, and bold.

"No beat up those guys, Luffy!"

Yeah, Luffy figured with a wry smile, Reuben would've told him the exact same thing if he was awake. "Okay then!"

On top of a hill stood a familiar face, except they had claws coming from their hairy hands, Luffy would have definitely remembered a guy like that wearing claws. The butler, Clahador, did not look at all happy. In fact, he appeared down right pissed off from the cold look in his dark eyes and the steeled line of his lips pressed tightly together.

"Why is that butler dude here?"

It earned him a scoff from Nami.

"3 minutes," Clahador checked the times on his watch. "3 minutes left until I kill you all."

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" the Black Cat Pirates cried in horror.

"Even with Captain Jango or Buchi, we'll never make it!"

"Oh, God! We're really gonna die!"

Not taking anymore chances, Jango turned to the hypnotized Buchi, his brother, Sham, unconscious from Zoro's attack. Not that it would have made a difference as Sham had taken a beating from that bastard earlier.

"Buchi! Kill them now! There's no time left!"

"CLAHADOR!" a new voice startled everyone, making them give pause to their actions from each opposing crew. "Stop this, at once!"

"K-Kaya?!" Usopp's eyes widen to saucers, realizing the danger of this girl being here in the presence of someone so dangerous. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! RUN AWAY!"

"Usopp-kun," Kaya sadly smiled at the long-nosed boy, her eyes full of regret and shame. "Even after all the villagers and myself done nothing but hurt, you're still here and fighting for your life for our sake."

Usopp felt his chest ache in pain that was not from this fight for from the hammering of his heart against it, but rather from the pain of seeing his dearest friend break apart from looking at her most trusted butler standing tall with a foreign cold dark look on his features, his once kind face now ugly and calculative. His claws stained red from the blood of someone he cut down on his way here, and Usopp prayed that they are alright.

She trusted this man. This man that looked after her, cared for her when the illness was taking a toll on her fragile, pale body. This man that did what she wished and gave it all his ability to make his mistress happy. Oh God, Usopp let out a shaky breath, if only he just turned back the clock and didn't say anything to her, if only he wasn't the one to plant these seeds in her to shake her up so badly.

Dammit, the boy bit his bottom lip as he felt his eyes glaze and throat dry up, Kaya shouldn't have to witness this, she shouldn't have to see the cold heart of this man that lied behind his sweet smiles.

"No, Kaya..." Usopp croaked but his throat clenched up.

"I'm sorry..." Kaya allowed the tears to fall and cascade down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!"

More pain tightened in his chest. He didn't want this.

"I'm a brave warrior of the sea!"

"Cladahor!" Kaya faces her now former butler, features steeled and tight which was totally foreign on her own. "If it's all the fortune you want, then you can take it all! But please leave this village and never return!"

"You simply don't understand, Kaya-san." Clahador coldly retorts as he adjusts his glasses with the heel of his hand. "It's true I want all the fortune, but I also would like a peace of mind in your death."

Her poor heart jumped up her throat.

"I've been in this village for 3 years, and it's given me nothing but tranquility and serene peace. And for that dream to come true, all the plans requiring your demise and your fortune is necessary."

"KAYA!" Ussop shouted to her in desperation. "He's insane! Nothing you say will stop him from his plans! He's not the man that cared for you anymore!"

Clahador is suddenly met with the end of a barrel of a pistol.

With her thin forefingers resting over the trigger, the young girl aims her gun to the butler. Everyone else is surprised of the bold confrontation of the sweet, sick girl that is sickly and frail golding a heavy weapon that made her thin arms quake.

She's prepared to do what she dreaded on the way to this slope to confront this man.

"If you don't leave right now..." Kaya's fingers held the handle tightly. "I will shoot you! NOW LEAVE US ALONE!"

It looked so wrong, Usopp thought with a sick twist in his stomach, watching Kaya hold a gun in her delicate hands. So fucking wrong.

"You've become stronger in the last 3 years, Ms. Kaya."

A shiver ran up the girl's spine, her hold on the pistol feeling heavier but she remain firm and stood her ground.

"Don't you remember? All the times we spent together for the past 3 years..." Clahador says he walks calmly over to her so casually, not bothered by the pistol aimed his way. "Since the passing of the previous masters of the mansion, you and me spent every moment together doing everything you ever wanted."

An icy stab went through Usopp, his blood running cold and his body frozen. That bastard! That son of a bitch...! How dare he? How dare he?! What low-life goes around spouting false happy memories that had effect on the victim, the victim that thought all their ventures and time together was something special and intimate. Clahador counted back every single happy memory for Kaya, crushing all her willpower and hope, leaving her shaking and losing her grip on the pistol.

"I've spent all 3 years doing stupid things, and I had to hold myself back from choking you, butchering you, drowning you, clubbing you—"

"Shut your mouth!" Ussop cried out in anger.

Kaya lost her hold on the pistol, the tears coming down again and leaving her weak in the legs from the weight of ugly false hope. This man that's been with her since she lost her parents, how can he hold such contempt for her? Why is he doing this to her?

"All I've done for you leads to this moment I've been waiting for." Clahador brandishes his weapons. "The moment you die!"

"I said," Usopp flew at Clahador in blind anger. "_SHUT YOUR MOUTH_!"

"Ah," the butler disappears and appears beside Ussop, his arms open to attack the teen. "I have business with you."

**_BAM!_**

Everyone blinked surprised, no one expecting the hit to come and knock Clahador off his feet and into the dusty ground. A lightning-fast movement whips back and everyone follows it to find the source; the boy with the strawhat.

"What the hell was THAT?!" Jango cried out in surprise.

"He got Captain Kuro!" one pirate said as everyone else gaped.

"That's funny," Luffy gives a feral grin. "I've got business with you, too!"

* * *

><p>The mind is a fog, lost and deep and never ending. To escape from this is to be prepared of what awaits when knowledge sinks in.<p>

Awareness. Painful awareness of the surroundings. At first unclear until it all comes rushing back and then reminded of why it is so. It gets harder but it has to be done.

It flickers. Fragments pieced together from tiny shards like shattered glass. Little things coming closer to grow bigger until visual clearance becomes known.

Weak, like a newborn babe just learning to move after being in the warmth of the womb for so long. Trying to regain strength that is long gone but no success. Bones quake and muscles tense.

I wake up.

So much I can't understand, the brain scattered and unresponsive, the body injured and losing enough blood to make me want to fall back to sleep but there's something telling me to stay awake. To do something... but what?

"—pirates!"

"NO IDEA—"

"I'll kill you—"

"—FIGHT!"

"Please—"

"—don't wanna die!"

Slurs of words and shouts, barely comprehended and I can't focus on them too much because it's always cut off and then there's the occasional scream of pain and terror, at least what I think are screams of pain and terror. I feel so muddled in the head that I can't come to care if I'm in danger or not, having trouble with keeping awake and not falling back to sleep. I can't do much by lie there on my stomach and listen, everything not making sense and my surroundings a complete vertigo.

"Auh..." I awkwardly groan.

What do I do? What's happening right now?

"Gumo Gumo no..."

What is that...?

"MY PLAN WILL NOT FAIL!"

"KANE!"

And what followed after is silence.

I close my eyes and let sleep take me in once more.

* * *

><p>The moment my brain begins to function properly and realize that I'm lying down and there's no bloody battle going on around me, I spring to action in an instant and immediately regret doing so. The sting of my back and ache of my ribs come back to haunt me, reminding me of my injuries sustained from the fight against the small pirate army and Sham's surprise attack from behind.<p>

And... and it's night time again.

'What happened...?!' I wondered as I look around the dark room in silence, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light to take in drawers, desks, a couple set of bunk beds with a few lumps settled on it...

"Guys—" I nearly shouted but a hand muffled my mouth. Surprised of the touch, I struggle and elbow the person behind me but stop when I peeked behind to see who. "_Mami_?"

"Be quiet," she said so softly under her breath. "They're sleeping off their injuries. Doctor's orders."

I nod and she removed her hand from my lips. Quietly and in low tone, I begin to interrogate her. "What happened after I went out? Did the plan work?"

"Yes." Nami leans back against the chair she is occupying. "You distracted them long enough for me to get to Luffy and wake him up. And it was a good thing you got the swords when you could, that Buchi guy was getting dangerous for Zoro to handle with just one sword."

"That's a relief." I huff as I roll my shoulders and wince from the sting. "Go on."

"Clahador, or Captain Kuro, came upon the scene. Threatened to kill the entire crew in 5 minutes unless they killed us all."

"He seems like the type to kill them afterwards."

She nods. "He would have, if Luffy hadn't dealt with him. And Kaya, the sick girl, she came in, too."

I duck my head and rub the crust from my eyes. "What happened? Is she okay? Is Usopp okay?"

"They're both fine. Kuro sent Jango after her and the three kids, you remember the three boys from the tavern that follow Usopp around? They helped Kaya escape for as long as they could before Jango caught up to them."

"So what..." I trail off and Nami hushes me.

"Usopp and Zoro went after them. And just in time, too. He was about to slice her throat open."

"Jesus..." I mutter.

"And we won." she ended the story with finality, and I can only nod my head as I take in everything.

"I always seem to miss these big things." I laugh with a hint of bitterness. "Did you notice that?"

She shrugs and stares at the ceiling. "It's over now. The village is safe, Kaya is safe, Kuro and the crew are gone, and everyone here is alive. That's what matters, right?"

"Yeah." I lie back down on the twin bed. "Yeah, that's what matters. Thanks for telling me."

"Mm."

* * *

><p><strong>~One Piece Trivia~<strong>

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